Market saturation, are there too many programmers?

Is the programming over-saturated?

  • Yes

    Votes: 4 9.3%

  • No

    Votes: 23 53.5%

  • The market is over-saturated BUT it still comes down to skill level.

    Votes: 13 30.2%

  • The market is over-saturated and if the opertunity exists do something else.

    Votes: 1 2.3%

  • All markets/trades will eventually become saturated.

    Votes: 2 4.7%
  • Total voters
    43
47Ronin

47Ronin

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Full disclosure, I only recently moved over to Software development. My skills is network infrastructure, deployment and hardware solutions. Essentially a am a glorified idiot that can make printers talk to routers talk to computers tablets and can set-up cloud backup and all the stuff that any 10 year old can do.

So because the systems got so simple that it essentially killed the job, it is time to move on. Now I know stuff and wasn't oblivious towards programming and so I am essentially sharpening skills that I was nurturing for the past 5 years or so. As my work decline I realized it is time to start doing small projects and a few weeks ago I hit my first project and completed it. It was nothing special and honestly it was almost a copy and paste situation. Most of you will know what I am talking about. But the money was good none the less.

Here is the thing, everyone and their dog wants to become a programmer and I am smelling the same situation we had with MCSE A+ and N+ where so many people became qualified that market was saturated. Also most offices use normal commercial grade hardware and that hardware is simplified to the point now that anyone that is willing to read can have their network up and running in minutes.

In 2022 today In this month of May. Are we seeing the same situation happening with software development?
There are tools that require no coding at all and is simplified to the point that almost anyone can create some soft of application.

Here is why I think software development will not get saturated.

I think because of the technical aspect of it, as well as the difficulty level that most people will not go beyond their first year and will rather do something else. In fact I am considering moving out of the tech industry into the financial one. A degree is only 3 years and the cost is not nearly as high as it once was.

I am still young enough to consider this change... Maybe... I don't know and is why I posted this thread.

But before I do, Am I just over thinking it? Will the programing market become over saturated?
 
There's a lot of developers.

There's very few who can think, and that is where the shortfall is, we don't have enough developers that can build infrastructure and new stuff.

Lots of maintaining devs, very few original thinkers.

They all left SA thanks to the ANC.
 
You are over thinking this. And clearly you are / where active in a very competitive environment or people (your boss for example)

Once you understand programming, you will realize that your own skill / knowledge and experience dictates the level at which you operate.

Simply put. Yes it's steep mountain, yes you are going to need to learn to climb it. And once you reach the pinnacle of what you think you need to know, someone shows you a new mountain.
 
The lower end of the market may become saturated in the near future. Between online courses, bootcamps, improved tooling, and easier degrees this is bound to happen.

So, it’s worth your while to either push through a decent qualification or make sure you self teach yourself so that your skill level is well above the median for the type of work you end up doing.
 
Thor said:
There's a lot of developers.

There's very few who can think, and that is where the shortfall is, we don't have enough developers that can build infrastructure and new stuff.

Lots of maintaining devs, very few original thinkers.

They all left SA thanks to the ANC.
Click to expand...

Completely agree. Lots of cowboys out there, very few good rock solid developers. If you know your stuff you will never be out of a job.
 
Grassnyer said:
There are too many mediocre software developers. There's not enough good software developers.
Click to expand...
This is true for the entire population in all endeavors.

So the best thing to do is seek out and work with people who fall on the right of the graph.
As a beginner, however, it’s difficult to identify these people
 
Here is the thing, everyone and their dog wants to become a programmer and I am smelling the same situation we had with MCSE A+ and N+ where so many people became qualified that market was saturated.
Click to expand...
Yes its true to an extent, but the thing is, programming has been around long before those silly certifications. Programming is by its very nature a different animal, its evolving, constantly. If you don't keep up with the game you're going to fall off the horse, so to speak.

The reality is that South Africans see anything like this as a route to easy money because they're lazy AF and just want money for nothing, pure luigat mentality- entitlement complex. I remember the MCSE craze well, that, in part was fueled by stupid adverts at the time luring the mouth breathers in. I saw many fail back then, hard! Years later, when I picked up one of them study guides for like R5 at a pawn shop, I was just amazed at how that worked, clearly a money making racket, certifications game, everything in that book was common knowledge to anyone who does networking.

There are bazillions of mediocre coders, but the good ones are the ones who don't live in SA anymore, and they're they ones who get snapped up by the likes of Amazon, Google, etc...
 
Sinbad said:
Syntax errors in the thread title do not bode well
Click to expand...
Thing is once I realized I made a mistake I cannot correct it but yea destroying people over such little things say a lot more actually. but enjoy
 
Thor said:
This, the term "programmer / dev / I work in Software" got a bit ambiguous.
Click to expand...
Yes like ‘engineer’ . if you dont have an engineering degree/diploma?, you are not any kind of engineer
 
Will never be enough programmers in a digital world.

Not enough experienced and good senior programmers, but that can be said for many industries.
 
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