I'm back to programming after a break. What career path should I follow in the AI age?
Hey community,
In the past few weeks, I've received thoughtful questions from some of you. That’s why I decided not to wait until I have enough published pieces and send out this newsletter more frequently.
So, let's dive in and get started on answering the questions that I believe will be helpful to many of you.
Idriss asks:
“I recently returned to programming after taking a break and now I'm delving into .Net and also want to learn more about cloud technology. I have to admit that I feel both excited and intimidated.
Do you have any tips or recommendations for me as I continue on my learning journey? I wonder as well what do you think about the impact of AI on developers' career paths and the skills they should be acquiring?”
It's great to hear that you're back in the programming world and exploring .Net.
As a freelance senior software engineer with 16 years of experience, I can understand why you're both excited and intimidated. Let me share some tips and recommendations based on my own experience:
Start with the basics: Make sure you have a solid foundation in .Net that you can build upon as you continue learning.
Practice, practice, practice: The more you work with the technology, the more confident and comfortable you'll become. Plus, it's always a good idea to stay sharp and up-to-date on your skills.
Stay up-to-date: Keep yourself updated with the latest advancements in .Net and other technology by reading blogs or taking online courses. You might also consider creating content about your experiences for others to learn from.
Use your existing skills: You may be surprised at how many of your skills are transferable.
Soft skills are game changers: Here I can recommend the following pieces:
How Imposter Syndrome Might Help You Improve As a Software Developer
Why Software Developers Need To Adopt a Systems Thinker’s Mindset
Regarding the impact of AI on developers' career paths, I think it's clear that AI is transforming the way software is developed and maintained. However, I also believe that traditional software development skills will still be in demand, as AI technology still requires human intervention for design, implementation, and maintenance. It’s after all AI and not Human-Level AI (HLAI).
Below is a tweet from Yann LeCun, a professor at NYU, Chief AI Scientist at Meta, and researcher in AI/Machine Learning, regarding HLAI (For more details, you can check this article: Large Language Models are dumber than your neighbor’s cat, by Nabil Alouani):
To sum it up, it’s important to stay informed about the latest advancements in AI and their impact on the industry, and also learn how to leverage them while enhancing your core software engineering skills.
Good luck with your learning journey, and don't hesitate to reach out if there's anything I can help with!
Till next time, have a nice day!
Rakia
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