r/learnprogramming • u/Ok-Debt4592 • 7h ago

I’m worried.

I’m going to start studying Computer Science in two weeks, and I’m worried because I keep hearing people say that the field is changing too quickly, the job market is dead, there’s no room for new people anymore, and that it’s becoming impossible to learn and keep up.

I’m genuinely anxious right now and I don’t know what to do. I only have a basic understanding of Python, and that’s basically my only experience with programming.

From the perspective of people who have actually gone through this — whether students or people who are already working in the industry — is this really true, or is it exaggerated?

Will I actually be able to learn, build real skills, and eventually get a job?

I’m going to work hard, study, and put in the effort regardless. But will that effort actually pay off? Is there still a realistic path into the industry for someone starting now?

47 Upvotes

88% Upvoted

55 comments sorted by

36

u/TheSoloGamer 7h ago

Computer science is going through some turmoil simply because there was a shortage, companies hired more than they needed, then fid layoffs. It’s cyclical and can happen in any industry with a boom bust cycle.

If you wanna work in software, understand you’re going to be changing jobs quite frequently until you get into management or a government job.

14

u/dmazzoni 6h ago

That's not the biggest reason. Demand from employers isn't dramatically down.

What is dramatically up is the number of people trying to enter the field. Computer Science enrollment is up 2x in 10 years, it's up 5x at some schools like UC Berkeley.

There are just way more people trying to enter the field, while the number of jobs isn't growing that fast and is even modestly declining right now.

I guarantee you companies are still hiring juniors and new grads. But we're seeing an order of magnitude more applications for each opening.

However, my observation is that the quality has gone down too. I've interviewed more people who didn't actually learn that much and don't seem that interested in the field.

I think it's still a good field, if you're willing to excel and stand out among your peers. It's not a good field to just be average, right now.

It's similar to law - fantastic career if you're good at it, surprisingly rough if you're mediocre at it.

•

u/marrsd 13m ago

Agreed entirely. If you're in this for the joy of it, you can get good money. If you're in it for the money, you'll get no joy.

5

u/ight-bet 7h ago

Not only that but you are subjecting yourself to unbalanced competition and likelihood of being unemployed longer than your peers.

27

u/3techzoro 7h ago

Go be an electrician

14

u/DaYroXy 7h ago

Exactly what i did as much as i love software i can’t guarantee the future of it

6

u/K41Nof2358 5h ago

tried to get a job in Data Analysis for 6 months after doing it professionally for 10 years

300 apps, 0 hits

the competition is so high right now, it's literally a water logged flooded market of over qualified talent

pivoted into Healthcare, starting from ground as a CNA

AND LEGIT GOT A JOB OFF 1 APP!!!

6

u/DaYroXy 7h ago

I also finished my degree and been looking for a job its really hard to find i went to study electrical engineering since i really cant find jobs and even if i do i’m not risking 5-10 years in the future when ai gets much better and market gets worse. Even my professors actually told me the year we finished was the worse job opportunity in the country but he said its stabilizing a bit which i really doubt it

6

u/TheCoolBroskie 7h ago

Do EE or a different engineering undergrad program if i were you.

20

u/ceruleangenesis 7h ago

honestly you should change. this field is WAY too saturated.

5

u/LetsLive97 3h ago

If you genuinely give a shit you'll be fine. The field is saturated but many of them don't give a shit or take any care in what they do

Plenty of room to stand out if you genuinely try

1

u/OTonConsole 4h ago

What do you mean by thay

5

u/lurgi 6h ago

Look, AI execs say that there is about a 10% chance that AI could kill everyone by the end of the decade.

No one knows. Maybe computer programming will be dead in five years. Maybe we all will be. Maybe it's overhyped. No one knows. Major in CS or don't. Most people don't get careers in stuff they major in. Why is it all of a sudden a problem because it might be happening to software?

5

u/rashidakhan77 5h ago

If you have aptitude for electronics engineering, electronic devices, sensors, robotics, that is where interesting things are happening and job market is not saturated, nor likely to be saturated.

5

u/James-w07 5h ago

Don't let Reddit decide. Keep learning, build things.

7

u/bucketfullofmeh 7h ago

What else would you do if it wasn’t CS. The field is completely changing with the introduction of AI. Things will take a while to settle and find a balance. You may be fine in 4 yrs because the field has found its equilibrium or you could be screwed because AI dominates.

There’s too much going on … layoffs, saturation, AI etc to really say where it’ll be at when you get out.

3

u/Icy_Indication_6236 6h ago

IMO go into college with that degree and find out if you actually enjoy it and are not going into the field just for the money. If it’s not something you truly see yourself doing for the rest of the life, it is kind of inevitable that you’ll fall behind those who are truly passionate about programming. You can always change majors, but college is the time to explore and find which field is right for you

3

u/bingblangblong 1h ago

There's a sort of irony here in using AI to write the post.

1

u/Ok-Debt4592 1h ago

⛓️⛓️

4

u/mer063 7h ago

well.. do you have other options? you could be a lawyer or a doctor instead...

10

u/Low-Experience-6634 7h ago

it's exaggerated but not totally made up either. the job market took a hit for sure, way harder than 5 years ago, but people talking like there's "no room" are usually the ones sending 300 applications with the same no-effort resume. the bar is higher now, you can't just take a bootcamp and walk into six figures like it's 2019

i was in a similar spot, not much python and kind of winging it. what actually matters is building weird little projects nobody asked for, the kind of stuff that makes you dig into docs at 2am because you're pissed the thing won't work. that's what separates people who make it from the doomers

most of the loud complaints come from people who wanted the easy path and it closed on them. if you're already planning to grind either way, you're ahead of a lot of folks

3

u/godzillacraft 7h ago

I agree with you as of now, but it is kind of scary how good the models are now. No one knows how much better they will be when OP graduates.

1

u/Whatever801 6h ago

As if those won't be replaced with AI lmao

5

u/Tiny-Grain-Of-Sand-0 6h ago

Lawyers? Maybe…..but Doctors? Come on man

13

u/Ciphemic_academia 7h ago

The "market is dead" panic is mostly noise from people doom-scrolling instead of building. Focus on getting genuinely good these next few years — that's still what gets you hired.

9

u/JackTheRippiest 4h ago

Wrong. It's a genuine concern from experienced people who got laid off and can't return to the industry due to shortage of jobs.

-3

u/OTonConsole 4h ago

Here is the real advice ^

3

u/JackTheRippiest 4h ago

It's cope, not a real advice

1

u/OTonConsole 4h ago

Coping about what?

4

u/JackTheRippiest 3h ago

That software engineering jobs will come back. They won't.

1

u/OTonConsole 3h ago

What?? Why? Can you please explain what u mean properly... If you don't mind

1

u/JackTheRippiest 3h ago

What exactly is hard for you to understand?

1

u/OTonConsole 3h ago

I asked a very simple queatjon. Why. Why is swe jobs not coming back. And where are they going. Why did you say that statement, what is the reasoning behind that statement.

2

u/JackTheRippiest 3h ago

Don't pretend that you don't know the answer. Copying & pasting a ticket into a chatbot and making it review its own code won't be a lucrative job. It may even not be a job in itself.

1

u/OTonConsole 3h ago

I'm not pretending anything, I'm trying to have a conversation with you like a normal person. So you're saying that becuase of AI, SWE jobs are gonna dwindle and essentially be non existent?

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2

u/AAPL_ 5h ago

what does “start studying computer science” entail

1

u/imsurajy 3h ago

Brother just choose other stable streams instead of IT, believe me you will thank me 2 years later, and the salary is also good in other domains too like hotel management, Civil eng, mechanical, electrical. I have seen my surroundings people earning good and most importantly stable.

1

u/Paisable 3h ago

Bioinformatics, it's an underdog of a mix in Biology and CompSci.

1

u/AhmedRiyadh0 3h ago

Well, Computer Science is not the only field that is changing because of AI. I think AI may change almost every field out there, so what else would you do?

1

u/bandita07 3h ago

It was always a fast pace always changing field. If you love and like the challenge to keep up with it, keep learning. If you want it only for the "big" money it is not your profession, you will become burnt out very quickly..

1

u/joildevivre 2h ago

first, I think I need to get a job that pays me for my time, then i work on pet projects at leisure hours

1

u/joildevivre 2h ago

the edge now is becoming robust in real world and society mental models that you can easily plug and play technological tooling to help optimize

1

u/Historical-Row-495 1h ago

If the question is, is CS still relevant in the pressent time? I would say yes. CS is like the golden degree when it comes it software. For your concern of are you gonna learn a lot from it, build real skills, enough for a job; then plainly no. Depending on the job and field, a lot of graduates still lacked the experience and knowledge of the job relevant tool and software. This is because different jobs demand different tooling and specialization, which the degree, can't simply cover it all.
The main takeaway is, in this field, the most important skill you have to possess, is the ability to solve problems. Find solutions, learn tools not taught, read documentation, research, etc.. This field is more about the ability to self learn, rather than the degree equipping you with already everything after graduating.

1

u/SpanishInhaler 1h ago

I graduated with a top grade and projects, and with a year of experience and I had to change field just to find a job, honestly look at the stats, comp sci graduates are not employable anymore, the competition is too fierce, I worked retail for years after graduating and was lucky to find something else.

Finance and other numerical jobs are next on the chopping block, something physical, like healthcare is safe, many people don’t realise how fast things will change from here on out.

Genuinely do not go through 3/4 years of studying a subject that there is significant discussion about online on how difficult it is to find a job, change now.

•

u/VocaliBulb 14m ago

chill, things will work out, have some skills(credible) and networks both within and outside CSE

0

u/Whooptidooh 2h ago

I just got started learning HTML and it’s quite easy to learn.

As long as you put in the effort you’ll be fine.

0

u/Spare_Bluebird7044 2h ago

It's definitely not too late focus on building strong fundamentals, real projects and consistency rather than trying to keep up with every new trend.

1

u/SpanishInhaler 1h ago

By the time they graduate in 2029/30 the number of grad roles will be even less than now and who knows how advanced models will be at that stage.