Opportunity & Resiliency Along the Software Developer Career Path

The future is bright for both aspiring and current software engineers. Data shows that the need for this position is growing across industries, especially as companies outside of the traditional tech sector increase their tech capabilities.

The New York Times put into words what we’ve been seeing firsthand with our graduates: “Today, a majority of tech jobs are at companies outside the tech sector in industries like banking, retail, health care, and manufacturing whose operations are increasingly becoming digital. They continue to invest in tech skills. They need tech talent.”

This means that newly trained developers are highly sought after – and that developers have opportunities for growth as they move along their software developer career path. Even when there are ups and downs in the job market, software developers of all skill levels will be desired employees who can help companies reach goals, stay competitive, and innovate.

The Opportunity: What a Typical Software Developer Career Path Looks Like 

Software developer roles are ranked among the best jobs for compensation, work-life balance, and a variety of projects and responsibilities. Our coding bootcamps train beginners with the fundamental skills to become job-ready junior developers.

Typically after graduation, graduates find themselves in these junior roles, working alongside a team of more seasoned individuals to help grow their foundational skillsets. In time, comes opportunities to specialize and develop your own goals and career path. After a few years, a junior developer may take on more responsibilities and leadership roles. At Tech Elevator, our alumni on average get promoted in just 1.7 years, according to our 2023 alumni survey results.

Our alumni typically move into positions considered mid-software engineering roles, generally including added responsibilities like coaching others and managing larger projects. As they continue to learn new tools and technologies and gain valuable experience, developers can move into senior roles and management positions as they progress throughout their careers.

The Resiliency: Developers are In Demand, Even Amidst Ups and Downs

In early 2023, when news of Big Tech layoffs dominated the news, many tech workers and software engineers were suddenly unemployed. But that didn’t last long.

As reported by The Wall Street Journal, an estimated 90% of workers who were laid off by large tech companies had already found new jobs by May.

This is largely because this career path is a resilient one, in part due to the fact that the tech sector isn’t the only employer of tech talent. Worldwide, industries have collectively invested in digital transformation, including artificial intelligence, data privacy, cybersecurity, cloud connectivity, enterprise business analytics, and cutting-edge user experiences. All of these types of programs need programmers in the background to bring innovation to life.

Only a fraction of that investment comes from traditional Big Tech companies. Software developers and other technical roles are needed and utilized across all industries, spanning manufacturing, healthcare, retail, consulting, financial services, insurance, aerospace, energy and everything in between.

Encouraging News for Brand New Software Developers 

Depending on where you’re looking, it can sometimes feel like there aren’t enough opportunities to go around. But, according to the U.S. Labor Department, there are currently 1.8 million software developers, quality assurance analysts, and testers residing in the United States. This falls significantly short of present demand, which projects a global shortfall of four million developers by 2025, according to The International Data Corporation (IDC). The Labor Department also found that demand for these roles is projected to grow 25% from 2021 to 2031, which is much faster than the average for all other occupations.

Additionally, you can take inspiration from Tech Elevator graduates like Patrick Dolan, a former food scientist turned UI Developer at Highline Solutions, or Melissa Ferguson, who switched careers from banking to Systems Developer for Quadax, Inc.

“We all enter the program at different parts of our life,” said Melissa. “The program is very good at taking your background and skills from your previous career and helping you showcase them for your new career…there’s so much support in the community of students, instructors and staff.”

The market was ready for them, and it’s ready for you, too. We’re here to help you get started!

Embark on your new career path with Tech Elevator.

If you’re interested in exploring the software developer career path, attend an upcoming open house to learn more about our coding bootcamps.

Written by Vinny Sanfillipo, Senior Director of Career Development