If they want to be software engineers it'll be hard to get your foot in the door without a degree.
If they want to be network admins, I hear that the certificates are useful.
This is based on my US and Aussie experience.
I would seriously deter them from being software engineers. The market is sooooooo bad, what with outsourcing and all, that I'm seriously considering changing to something else.
As a Software Engineer in the MS tech world, even though I can find other jobs they aren't significantly better than my current and you would think as I gain more experience that my salary value would go up, but I am finding that not to be the case any more. Everyone is hanging on to their jobs for dear life. Lucky, my salary is stable from the dotcom era.
Its a really sad situation. There will be hardly any software engineers in the western world in 10-15 years time. I wouldn't start an IT degree now, and if you just completed one, I would just go back to school and get a different degree.
When the Deans of Universities are saying at College Computer Science Graduation ceremonies that you will need to change your vocation several times in your life they aren't kidding.
IT is the first thing to go. Then Financial stuff, accountants etc. Basically, anything that doesn't require someone nailed down is going to be offshored. Globalisation sucks!!!! The rich get richer and the poor get poorer, but we have all these healthy economic statistics, but never mind where the money goes.
Your friends would be safe with System Admin stuff though as you need them on site.
