The Computer Science Dream Has Become A Nightmare

In Brief

Well, nan coding-equals-prosperity committedness has officially collapsed.

Fresh machine subject graduates are facing unemployment rates of 6.1% to 7.5% — much than double what biology and creation history fields are experiencing, according to a caller Federal Reserve Bank of New York study. A crushing New York Times piece highlights what’s happening connected nan ground.

The individual stories are surreal. Manasi Mishra, 21, graduated from Purdue aft being promised six-figure starting salaries, only to person a azygous interview, astatine Chipotle. (She didn’t get nan job.) Zach Taylor has applied to astir 6,000 tech jobs since graduating from Oregon State successful 2023, landing conscionable 13 interviews and zero offers. He was moreover rejected by McDonald’s for “lack of experience.”

The alleged culprits? AI programming eliminating inferior positions, while Amazon, Meta and Microsoft slash jobs. Students opportunity they’re trapped successful an “AI punishment loop” — utilizing AI to mass-apply while companies usage AI to auto-reject them, sometimes wrong minutes.

Thankfully, Mishra landed a occupation aft 1 acold exertion that worked out. It’s not successful package engineering.

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