So what would be a better alternative to make your resume stand out to get a job that doesn't include doing a full degree?
Make stuff. Get patches submitted to relevant open source projects. Make a small project that's actually finished (bonus if it's demo-able).
Several hiring managers have told me this.
The last time I was asked to screen and interview candidates I took the time to check out all portfolios, including github/gitlab/sourceforge profiles and projects.
In a few cases the candidate's portfolio work was decisive to greenlight and reject job apllicants.
Getting interviews isn't the hard part. Getting through them is.