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AI has torched the market for junior programmers

seldo.com

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Re: AI has torched the market for junior programmers

#12

On the flip side, IS this a good thing for senior engineers?

I think it depends on what kind of senior you are. Juniors are by their nature mostly order fillers. Seniors can be anywhere from more complex code order fillers to fairly well developed experts in business logic.

Re: AI has torched the market for junior programmers

#13

I suspect that the last white collar workers have been trained outside of regulated fields. If it can be taught, an AI can do it. The only work left is either manual or inherently new.

you sound like a CEO.

Not at all. I’m a run of the mill dev who would like to stay ahead of the AI wave.

Re: AI has torched the market for junior programmers

#14

The article makes the false assumption that you can only get better at software engineering by a 1:1 interaction when someone better. It doesn't address that AI can take this role. It doesn't address that there doesn't have to be a job market for junior developers for more senior developers to be created. There are other ways like reading or creating your own software to become senior level.

In my experience, I learned software engineering myself. I didn't get much mentorship or a lot of one-on-one attention. There was some interactions with my coworkers, but it was not as amazing as people think it was back then and I came with a lot of personal experience before my first job. The main skill of software is learning and figuring out things by yourself and proactively asking for help.

Re: AI has torched the market for junior programmers

#17
post #8

I feel it has rather created an opportunity for a junior programmer to deliver 5x faster than before and it has lowered the barriers to be a decent junior developer. Perhaps in today's job market for junior devs what changed are the metrics against which they are judged for. It's not just knowing theory of coding, it's about speed at which you ship and most importantly quality. Ultimately, how good is such a develope…

The problem is that someone has to oversee the junior and the multiplier on productivity also applies to the overseer.

So you could have the senior oversee the junior or just have them oversee Claude.

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