General Computing Degree vs specialised (ie cyber, gaming etc)

[54isanopendoor]

Ds is looking at starting a Computing Degree rather than a specialised one such as gaming, cyber etc.

What is the effect on future employability if he does that please?
will he then need to go on and do further specialist courses?

It would be from Abertay which is an excellent Scottish Uni for computing..

A computer science degree is a much better option for employability post university.
Often specialised degrees don't lead to a job afterwards or don't teach the skills that employers are looking for.

Think of the specialised ones as being more about being a user of the hardware (like learning to drive) where the generalised degree is more like learning engineering / mechanics and how to build the car - far more useful and far more likely to lead to a job...

I was involved in recruitment of computing graduates in a previous job and although we favoured those with specialisms which matched the job available (either degree itself or placements, work experience, project work). We still recruited generalists as we could never get enough specialists. It worked both ways as sometimes we took on someone with a niche degree in a different role (fair bit a overlap in modules in 4 year degrees in Scotland)

Those my DC know who have gone to Abertay have all been interested in gaming. Those looking for more general courses have done MEng type computing courses at Strathclyde/ Edinburgh/ Glasgow. Thinking perhaps these unis have better results job wise outside gaming but check the stats yourself as my experience is a couple of years out.

I don't know what Abertay is like for cyber security but we used to favour those with niche degrees (Caley) as saved lots of training and they stayed.

Thanks @SandyIrvine @MrsPnut @akkakk

The HNC Cyber Security DS was taking is 1 module short of what Abertay want as entry requirement so he'd have to go in at Year 1 not Y2 so it's partly a funding issue. If he does a 2 yr HND then he can go into a Computing degree at Y3 so no funding issues.
Saas say that he can be funded for HNC then HND years, then 4 year degree.
College say otherwise.
But that limits him to a Computing degree, rather than a Games or Cyber one.

what is his passion - coding (which I do) is boring if you are not driven by the results - if cyber / gaming is his thing - the challenges, the puzzles etc. then that should be his direction - ultimately it is very different to a general degree where a lot of the problem solving is around people / process (which I love)... and then putting that into code

My DH is a recruiter at one of the biggest tech companies, he looks for computer science degrees and then expects the specialism to come from work experience rather than a degree

DP senior cybersecurity manager he did computer science hnd transferred onto a degree course then worked his way up from system admin and developed the cyber team. He says the background helped him be an all round techie which meant he had a good grasp of the other IT depts. His passion was always cyber and did sans courses and ethical hacking in his own time too

Jumping on and hi-jacking this thread ( found in search ) to ask you knowledgeable people for some help.

DS is doing Level 2 gaming design at college.
Just started.

I want to get him some books on it for Christmas but don't know where to start or what I should be looking for,apart from the dates of publications .

Thanks if anyone can help.