To all the software engineers/developers/techies out there, what are your honest thoughts about your children following in your footsteps and choosing a career in software engineering? With your experience and hindsight, would you encourage this path for them?
How do tech folks feel about their children choosing the same career path?
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Re: How do tech folks feel about their children choosing the same career path?
#2It’s hard to predict what these jobs would even look like in a few decades. If computers become more ubiquitous and work can be achieved with natural language, with better screen technology, maybe holograms, more presence in the physical environment, why not.
But if it’s sitting behind a screen for decades, I wish my son a better life.
Re: How do tech folks feel about their children choosing the same career path?
#3My child doesn't seem to feel a passion for "tech" as such. Computer based tools are useful for the things she does like, in some ways. I'm encouraging her to learn more blender as a way to expand her sense of possibilities in what she can do with digital art.
It's not "learn blender" for itself i'm aiming to push, its "broaden your experience and capabilities with the tools that are used to make art." Because she has some passion for the art, which may not last but is what's there now.
If she then gets fascinated by hacking blender tools or something, I'll encourage that. but I don't think that's likely.
I think the age of "tech" as a specialty is long past, and we've got "tech" elements in everything. "web people" are layout geeks who don't have light tables and graded opacity markers anymore. The people who ran printing presses now manage database instances. They're not ignorant of what's happening over there at the layout office, they're just usually not interested in anything but the plate that comes out the be put on the roller.
In the sense of "tell your kids to do $X it will guarantee they make a lot of money" i don't think there's any $X worth promoting that way. I'd rather my child find a livable life than chase some goal not in her heart because its perceived popular.
Re: How do tech folks feel about their children choosing the same career path?
#4Even to a nerdy myself, computers are tools to build stuff. I really can't see a (non-apocalyptic) future where the value of "programming computers" diminishes, even if what that exactly looks like changes.
As such, I think it's more valuable to think about the problems one might be wanting to solve in the future, and while computers are likely to be inevitable tools, one should consider their use and programming as an additional thing.
I encourage my kids (3 and 6) to explore computers without the internet: an Ubuntu laptop has an entirely different appeal from a browser and internet. I regret a bit for not putting them at the terminal first, but there's always an opportunity if they develop a deeper interest in the future.
Interestingly, even my dad, an astronomer making heavy use of computers and programming to achieve his goals from late 70s, tried to push me in the direction of other fundamental sciences. But I simply stuck with pure software engineering because it was so exciting in the 90s.
Re: How do tech folks feel about their children choosing the same career path?
#5I can't think of a better career combo of work life balance, flexibility, and income.
Re: How do tech folks feel about their children choosing the same career path?
#6It’s hard to predict what these jobs would even look like in a few decades. If computers become more ubiquitous and work can be achieved with natural language, with better screen technology, maybe holograms, more presence in the physical environment, why not. But if it’s sitting behind a screen for decades, I wish my son a better life.
Yes, it's precisely the long hours spent behind the screen that sparked this question. But if they're passionate about it, then why not? Passion is key in this field. Without it, the job can be depressing, regardless of the perks it offers.
I also wonder time to time about other fields that often improve with experience – the more you practice, the better you become. In contrast, software engineering requires constant adaptation to new technologies, making past experience with older technologies less relevant. Staying current in this field is a continuous challenge and not always straightforward.
Re: How do tech folks feel about their children choosing the same career path?
#7I can't think of a better career combo of work life balance, flexibility, and income.
Flexibility and income, yes. I am not so sure about work-life balance, which probably depends on the place/country of work.
Re: How do tech folks feel about their children choosing the same career path?
#8My child specifically? My heart would break because I'd know she's only doing it for the money and she'd be miserable. It's a great field, but I think pure programming can be soul crushing if you don't have natural interest.
I'll teach my daughter some of the skills because i don't think there are many careers where programming has zero value, but my kid is a theater kid through and through. It's very tragic for my financial dreams for her, but I'm getting a little more heartened as she and I explore and I talk to people about the domain. I'm hoping it'll be like when I learned that technical writing existed, so a writer kid was not doomed to starve.
Re: How do tech folks feel about their children choosing the same career path?
#9Horribly bad idea to work in tech. Anyone can do this work. The market is flooded.
Encourage kids to pick up "blue collar" jobs where most others are scared of getting their hands dirty. Less competition for jobs and the pay is great. The work is also rewarding on its own.