Will You Have a Job in Tech? The Truth I'll Tell My Students Today

Today is my first class of the semester, and there’s an elephant in the room: Will these students have jobs when they graduate?

Last year, many graduates struggled to find work. Add in headlines about AI taking jobs, and I get why the room feels tense. If you’re on a student visa, the anxiety isn’t just theoretical, it’s personal. Knowing people who had to live the states in the year before you doesn't help. I know. I used to be one during the subprime mortgage tech hiring freeze.

And then there’s the noise:

• AI will replace programmers.

• No-code means coding is dead.

• White-collar jobs are disappearing.

Let’s cut through that confusion.

Tech Has Always Been Cyclical

When the dot-com bubble burst in 2000, companies vanished overnight. People thought tech was dead. CS enrollments dropped by nearly 50% over the next five years.

They were wrong. Tech didn’t die, it came back stronger. The internet became the backbone of everything.

We’re in another cycle now. AI is the disruption this time. It feels scary because it’s new. But history says: disruption doesn’t kill careers, it reshapes them.

AI Will Replace Some Programming Jobs

Yes, AI is automating certain programming tasks, especially repetitive coding. Some entry-level roles will disappear. That’s the reality.

But here’s the bigger truth: AI is a tool, not a solution. It creates new layers of complexity and opportunity, for those who know how to apply it.

Right now, most companies know they need AI but don’t know what they need. They’re paralyzed, unsure how to hire or what to build. The problems didn’t disappear. They’re bigger than ever.

The Real Shift: Programmer vs. Engineer

This is the core difference:

• Programmer: Identity tied to a tool or language. Writes code.

• Engineer: Identity tied to solving problems. Uses any tool, AI, cloud, data, to get it done.

Jobs for “just programmers” may shrink, while jobs for engineers will grow. Graduates need to quickly shift from being programmers to becoming engineers. The challenge is that real engineering happens when you solve real problems, and those are usually found in real companies, which is why many students get stuck.

Think about train engineers. Early ones shoveled coal. Today, they manage automation and sensors. The tools changed, but the job of moving trains safely never went away.

AI is just the new engine.

Your Next Move: Rethink Your Identity

The recommendation I give to my students: don’t tie your future to a single technology. Tie it to your ability to solve problems.

• Stop asking, “What language should I learn?”

• Start asking, “What problem can I solve, and what’s the best tool for it?”

Here’s a simple exercise:

• Talk to a local business owner. They don't have to be in Tech.

• Ask: What’s your biggest headache?

• Think: How could technology, any technology, solve that?

That mindset will keep you relevant no matter what tool comes next.

Be in the solving problems business.

The Bottom Line

The market for programmers might shrink. The market for problem solvers will not.

AI isn’t the end of tech careers. It’s the start of a new chapter, one where engineers who understand problems and use the right tools will lead the way.

Don’t aim to be a programmer. Aim to be an engineer. The future belongs to problem solvers.