IT students struggle to find jobs amid the AI ​​storm

For many years, computer science was considered the “holy land” of career dreams. The image of a student graduating with a bachelor’s degree and quickly landing a high-paying software engineering job became the ideal model that many generations aspired to. That golden age was associated with the years of the Internet boom, the emergence of smartphones and social networking platforms, when the demand for technology human resources always far exceeded the supply.

1. A computer science degree is no longer the "golden ticket"

But the situation is much different now. The story of Abraham Rubio, an American student who graduated with a degree in computer science in May but has sent out 20 resumes without receiving any positive responses, reflects the sad reality: a computer science degree, once considered a “golden ticket,” is losing its value.

A report from Oxford Economics in May found that employment for new computer science and mathematics graduates has fallen by 8% since 2022. That may seem like a small number, but it highlights a worrying trend: demand is no longer growing, but declining, while the number of students studying the subject continues to grow. Worse, on Indeed, the number of job openings for software development jobs has dropped by 71% from February 2022 to August 2025.

Another student, Julio Rodriguez, sent out more than 150 resumes before landing a summer job offer. He described feeling both happy and anxious: happy to finally land a data engineering job but also anxious as tech layoffs mount. The uncertainty lingers beyond the job application stage and even after landing the desired position.

Nick Vinokour had a different experience. After graduating, he was lucky enough to be accepted into Scale AI, one of the startups that was highly regarded for its potential in the field of artificial intelligence. However, the joy did not last long when Scale AI restructured and he lost his job. Vinokour believes that AI tools like Microsoft Copilot or Cursor are gradually changing the labor structure, especially for low-level software engineering positions. Jobs that were considered the “gateway” for new graduates to gain experience are now threatened by automation.

Beyond personal stories, the general trend reflects harshness. On TikTok, where young people often share their experiences, a user named Lili posted a video advising students not to study computer science because of its instability. Dozens of comments agreed, expressing similar concerns. According to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, the unemployment rate for new computer science graduates is currently 6.1%, higher than even fields that are considered difficult to find jobs, such as art history (3%) or English (4.9%).

These numbers highlight a harsh reality: a computer science degree no longer guarantees a job. The job market is changing, and those entering the tech industry today face stiffer competition than ever before.

2. Young people's biggest concern is AI

While tech graduates have been competing primarily with each other for the past decade, they now have a new “rival” in the form of artificial intelligence. AI, once hailed as a productivity-boosting tool, is now the biggest fear for those looking to break into the software development industry.

Tech companies are increasingly using AI to automate the programming process. In the past, teams of junior software engineers would handle repetitive tasks like writing sample code, performing basic testing, or troubleshooting small bugs. But now, tools like GitHub Copilot can write hundreds of lines of code from just a few lines of description, while emerging AI systems like Anysphere’s Cursor can understand and modify entire projects. As a result, hiring needs have decreased, especially for entry-level positions.

Even big tech companies are not immune to this wave. Microsoft, a company with a market capitalization of $4 trillion, just announced that it will lay off 9,000 employees. CEO Satya Nadella frankly shared that 30% of Microsoft's source code is now written by AI. That means that if it used to take 10 programmers to complete a project, now it only takes 7 people with AI support.

The case of Danny Stalmakov, a programmer in Germany, also illustrates this change. Despite his experience, he still had to send out hundreds of applications without receiving a positive response, because there were too many candidates competing for the same position. In fact, in his current job, he found that up to 80% of his tasks could be handled by AI. Although productivity has increased dramatically, this also means that the number of staff needed has decreased. “Companies that used to need 5 programmers now only need 3,” he shared, full of concern for the future.

Rubio also expressed his insecurity. He said he was “competing directly with AI” to get into the industry. For recent graduates, who lack experience, facing a tireless “rival” like AI only makes the race more fierce.

It is worth noting that this concern is not limited to students. Even working people are under threat. Once most jobs are replaced by AI, engineers will have to find a way to prove their own value, or else they will be eliminated. The future of software development is therefore in a state of “both promise and uncertainty”: AI opens up unprecedented creativity and productivity, but at the same time raises questions about the position of humans.

3. Education changes with the AI ​​wave

In this context, education is also being forced to change. Universities, programming training centers, and even businesses are having to rethink their training methods to prepare a new generation of engineers who are both good at fundamental knowledge and know how to use AI as a tool.

The University of Washington has taken the lead with its “AI-enabled software development” course, which focuses on teaching students how to use AI tools effectively, understand how they work, and incorporate them into their development process. However, the school also emphasizes that core subjects such as data structures, algorithms, and operating systems will still be off-limits to AI to ensure students do not miss out on important foundational knowledge. This reflects the difficult balance: how can students master AI without becoming completely dependent on it?

Not only universities, short-term training organizations are also catching up with the trend. General Assembly said that more and more of their students are directors, HR managers, and business professionals who want to equip themselves with AI skills. This shows that AI is not only affecting programmers but also spreading to all fields of work. General Assembly has started designing AI training programs suitable for many subjects, from new entrants to senior leaders.

Tech experts continue to affirm the value of a computer science degree. Deepak Singh (Vice President of Amazon Web Services) emphasized that in the age of AI, critical thinking and creativity are more important than ever. As AI takes over simple tasks, humans will have more time to focus on complex ideas, solve difficult problems and make strategic decisions.

Not everyone is optimistic, however. Kyle Holm, vice president at consulting firm Sequoia, says the AI ​​boom is not following the usual technology cycle and could fundamentally change how markets operate, making it difficult for recent graduates to draw on historical experience to shape their career strategies.

On the other hand, David Barajas, a software engineer with more than a decade of experience, believes that AI will change jobs, not eliminate them. He believes that the difference will be who knows how to use AI as a tool. “AI will not replace you as an engineer,” he emphasizes. “But an engineer who knows how to use AI will replace you.”

This message is perhaps the most important one for today’s generation of technology students: instead of fearing AI competition, learn to cooperate with it. Only then will the “programming dream” not turn into a nightmare in the era of artificial intelligence.