Except for some the “uber technical” fields, college is pretty much a bust as far as ensuring one can do a certain set of tasks. I learned far more on the job than in college and only went to open some doors for promotion because I already had the knowledge and skills for moving up but they required an expensive piece of paper before considering me.
That’s what I’ve found too. Even if you need a college education, it’s only for the first couple of years. After that working experience is WAY more important.
You shouldn’t have needed a degree for your promotion if your work track record merited one. It’s mystifying how the marketplace in general hasn’t figured this out yet.