The fact is, that for many young people, programming has been “realtor boom” for many years. I’ve been actively involved with my faith’s various youth group offerings over the years, and I have watched a lot of young people I have known grow up and head down various paths, only to pivot from all kinds of career aspirations to software development. They connect with me because I’m an old timer in the same industry as them now. But very few of them “get into it” the way I have for my career. It’s a well paying job that has relatively low entry cost (either degreed or boot camped) and allows them to support their youthful adventures or aspirations to start families.
There are some in the younger generation that get it.
I had an intern last cycle that just consumed this stuff. It was like I was talking to a younger me. She knew things about the company I worked at I did not know.
Anytime I was explaining anything about how to solve problems or how something should work, she would just listen and ask good questions. Next thing you knew she was using whatever we just talked about.
I'm curious how you bifurcate between the two general types in a mentoring/internship relations. As an enthusiast programmer, I connect well with the "diamond in the rough" young enthusiasts. But the here-for-the-job types have been really difficult for me in intern relationships. There's an ingredient that I take for granted in the enthusiast-enthusiast relationship. I'm not going to pick up the slack in a enthusiast-9to5 relationship. I think the relationship just needs to be structured differently, but I haven't figured that out yet (feel free to reach out via email).
The fact is, that for many young people, programming has been “realtor boom” for many years. I’ve been actively involved with my faith’s various youth group offerings over the years, and I have watched a lot of young people I have known grow up and head down various paths, only to pivot from all kinds of career aspirations to software development. They connect with me because I’m an old timer in the same industry as them now. But very few of them “get into it” the way I have for my career. It’s a well paying job that has relatively low entry cost (either degreed or boot camped) and allows them to support their youthful adventures or aspirations to start families.