Stage 1 · Lesson 4 of 7
The junior squeeze: fewer doors, not mass firing
The clearest effect of AI on software jobs so far is at the entry level. A Stanford study of US data, "", found that employment of software developers aged 22 to 25 fell nearly 20% from its late-2022 peak, while older developers held steady or grew.
Its 2026 update found the gap still widening, and that it comes mainly from companies hiring fewer young people, not from firing them. SignalFire found big tech companies hired less than half as many new graduates in 2024 as in 2019. Indeed reported that about 69% of software postings in early 2026 were for senior roles.
For students this means the first job is harder to get, so proof of real work matters more.
Common trapconcluding that juniors are no longer needed. Companies still need people who will become the seniors of 2030.
A question to check yourself, an AI practice session and 1 cheat sheet entry come when you add the roadmap to your account. Add it
Resources for this stage
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