Not quite as firmly cast in concrete as in the US, but getting steadily more like it. I think we are much more likely over here to decide we don't care what the degree was in, though; but my view may be a bit out of date, because my first real computing job was a 6 week stint at RHEL way back in 1966 (in between degrees), and most of my experience of recruiting and of being recruited is somewhat out of date. I can definitely confirm that what Grant says applies in the UK, though - if you know someone on the inside who thinks you are worth having, you are more likely to get an interview if you get introduced through them than if you go through HR, and it's usually HR that has the silly rules about certificates, not the hiring managers. In fact over the decades HR departments and recruitment consultants have in general got worse over here and more jobs are getting taken through personal contacts.