Post-Pandemic Tides and an AI Storm
A pandemic-fueled recession and the rise of artificial intelligence have disrupted the flow of junior to mid-level web developers vying and applying for software engineering jobs worldwide. Since Fall 2022, there have been so many mass layoffs that even the software engineering schools have laid off staff or changed their offerings and business targets to adjust.
I’ve seen too many people on LinkedIn with 3–6 years of web development experience announce that they were giving up. PLEASE DO NOT GIVE UP. But you may need to shift and supplement your income with *gasp* a different job to pay the bills. Just keep coding and building projects at a consistent pace. If you haven’t learned Python yet, now is the time.
Unfortunately after completing all of my capstones, I did not pass the deep theory portion of my final exam. For months I had difficulty concentrating, as if a brick was blocking my concentration. I could not understand why. So towards the end of my bootcamp I accepted my fate with the understanding that I needed more time and learning.
It wasn’t until about 3 months later that I noticeably felt much better, as if a cloud had lifted. My mind was sharp again. It was then that I realized — that in addition to lingering fatigue, I had suffered “brain fog” after catching the Omicron variant that was surging in January that year. For naysayers, don’t underestimate the COVID virus. It is nasty and wrecks your body over time, especially if you carelessly contract it more than once. I was one of the super careful ones working from home, yet I caught it from my roommate.
Coding bootcamp was way expensive. As part-time remote, I ended up paying more than the average full-time student. The services provided were seriously lacking, not worth the cost, and the school broke their initial contract agreement as it changed ownership and management. I’ve already vented, so won’t get into specifics here. I felt shitty about the non-certificate, until a senior software engineer at a leading tech company told me not to sweat it. He advised me of the less than 40% grad rate of most fast-track bootcamps. His empathy made me feel better and more hopeful.
My coding journey is far from over. I did, however, break away because I was recruited for a dedicated remote assignment. It involves inspiring young people in challenging areas to grow in digital literacy, learn to code, develop entrepreneurship skills, and further economic recovery. Despite recent obstacles for many of us, these kids are just getting started with much less than the USA and Europe. For international youth, 85% of the jobs they will fill haven’t even been invented yet. It’s uncharted territory. But these kids are absolute fire, eager to learn, and speak multiple languages. Welcome #Generation2030. Together we climb.
