I have been a professional web developer/software engineer for over 10 years. However, I don’t have a degree, and sometimes I feel that not having one is hindering my full potential. After high school, I attended distance education in Myanmar. It involved attending school for 10 days, followed by an exam. I passed the first year. In the second year, I didn’t pass. I felt it didn’t make sense, as the program only required attending for 10 days before taking an exam. I also wasn’t interested in the subject matter. Eventually, I didn’t complete it. I tried for a diploma as well, and at that time I was already working as a Web Developer. The teachers seemed unaware of the material they were teaching. Eventually, I also stopped pursuing that diploma as well.

I searched for alternatives and discovered a UK-based degree available in Myanmar. My research indicated that it’s technically similar to Burmese education. The only differences are the higher cost and that the degree is awarded from the UK. Before COVID-19, I was back in Myanmar to start a team there while I was working for an SG-based company. I thought to myself, ‘At least if I get this degree, it will be from the UK. Then, COVID-19 hit, followed by the coup in Myanmar. I moved back to Singapore. I still don’t have a degree.

This year, I’ve been thinking a lot about pursuing a degree, given the instability of jobs. I finally decided to get a degree from the University of London. It’s an online program, and I’ve already attended some of their courses on Coursera. I quite like it, as I have been participating in MOOCs. When I looked for the application, I found it was already closed for 2023. I also realized that by completing certain courses, like the Google IT Support, I could transfer credits towards the degree. That’s why I completed the Google IT Support Professional Certificate. Now, I am attending a C++ Course from them. I plan to apply for the 2024 intake in January or February. Anyway, this time, I am determined to earn this degree!