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?

  • s38b35M5@lemmy.worldEnglish
    10·
    15 hours ago

    For the first time in over thirty years, the community college near me has had many members of the community advisory board (reps from various local businesses) that rep’d tech firms not even come to the advisory board meetings.

    I take that to mean they’re riding the AI bubble, hoping to phase out much of their human workforce. That said, someone has to maintain the local infrastructure, and while data centers don’t employ many workers, they need some staff to watch over the systems. I also think networking still is a strong field, and obviously cyber security.

    I have worked with several folks that were much better at their job because of self-hosting, so your experience there maybe isn’t as worthless as you think.

    My advice would be to talk to recruiters and department heads and ask what they see themselves needing.

    • master_baiter@programming.devOP
      2·
      15 hours ago

      I think cyber security would be fascinating to study and networking would be good. I just hoped my experience with development wouldn’t be useless towards getting employed in those fields, but I feel like it would be.

      Thanks for your advice

      • s38b35M5@lemmy.worldEnglish
        2·
        15 hours ago

        I’m just one person on an anonymous social platform. Take my opinions with a grain of salt. Developers definitely still have work, but you are right the the current outlook seems* bleak.

        Coding for network security companies is a possibility.

        *I haven’t asked anyone in the know.