I’m a senior in high school right now and definitely need to consider what I’m going to do in college and for work.

For a very long time I’ve been into computers, and am a developer with a few big projects under my belt (this is a burner account for privacy). So, my logical choice for a while was to become a software developer professionally.

Nowadays that plan doesn’t look too promising. AI has basically replaced junior developers (with dubious results) and the competition has gotten much fiercer. I’m not even in college yet so I have a good amount of time to potentially pivot to something else before choosing a major.

I’ve got quite a bit of experience with Linux and I manage a home server, but that probably doesn’t differentiate me much. I’m honestly interested in most things computer related, but don’t know of any specific fields to seek out. If it’s so hard for fresh CS graduates to get jobs, why would any other option be different?

  • Nate Cox@programming.devEnglish
    41·
    23 hours ago

    Genuinely, not being snarky, get a union trade job instead. Carpentry, welding, whatever. Not as fun probably but the stability is there.

    Tech is such a shit show today in general; there are for sure still good jobs out there but having worked in tech for a couple of decades I feel qualified to say that building a career in tech is needlessly risky. Layoffs come fast, promotions come slow, and stability is nowhere to be found. I have spent most of my career across multiple companies constantly afraid that I might not have a job tomorrow… and I am both good at my job and well liked.

    One time I lost my job because all of a sudden investors pulled out and nearly the entire company got laid off. Got an email Thursday afternoon telling everyone not to come in Friday because they don’t have a job anymore. There are countless stories out there like this.

    • lennybird@lemmy.worldEnglish
      2·
      17 hours ago

      Don’t do welding, or pipe fitting. Speaking from the counsel of family whose profession was this (and they were one of the best, truly). In their own words they’d never advise anyone to go into that these days.

      To do things over, as much as they loved it, they said they’d probably join the sparkies. Electrician or lineman.

      Meanwhile hvac trade is a wash with really terrible people, the most conservative trade, low union, and highly variable in competency.