Rubio’s story is a stark illustration of the job crisis facing millions of tech graduates. What was once a “golden ticket” has become a fierce and uncertain battle.

A computer science degree is no longer the "golden ticket"

For years, a computer science degree was seen as a surefire path to a stable, high-paying job. But that golden age is over. A May report from Oxford Economics found that employment for new computer science and math graduates has fallen by 8% since 2022. Software development job postings on Indeed have plummeted by 71% from February 2022 to August 2025.

Julio Rodriguez, who graduated last year, said he had to submit more than 150 applications before he got a job offer as a data engineer earlier this summer. “Once you get a job, you’re scared about the layoffs that a lot of companies are doing,” he said.

Another student, Nick Vinokour, lost his dream job at Scale AI after the startup restructured. He believes AI programming tools like Microsoft Copilot and Anysphere’s Cursor are “a big wave that’s going to change the role of a junior engineer.”

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Students feel they are competing with AI to get a foot in the job market. Photo: CNN

The sad reality is reflected on TikTok, where a user named Lili posted a video discouraging students from studying computer science because of the lack of job security. Dozens of comments below the video echoed similar concerns. According to the New York Fed, the unemployment rate for recent computer science graduates (6.1%) is now higher than that of those who studied art history (3%) and English (4.9%).

AI: Young people's biggest concern

While AI is ushering in a new era for the tech industry, it is also becoming a major concern for newcomers to the job market. Companies are using AI to automate parts of the programming process, reducing the need for human resources, especially at entry-level positions.

Tech giants aren’t immune to the trend. Microsoft just hit a $4 trillion valuation, but just weeks later it laid off 9,000 employees. CEO Satya Nadella said that up to 30% of Microsoft’s source code is written by AI.

Danny Stalmakov, a programmer in Germany, said he has submitted hundreds of applications and been told there are too many candidates for every position. He also found that AI now handles 80% of his work. “While the increase in productivity is incredible, it is also worrying – companies that used to need five programmers may now need three,” he said. “The impact of AI makes me really uncertain about the future of software development.”

Rubio, who started the conversation, also expressed his fears: "It feels like I'm competing with AI just to get my foot in the door."

Education is changing with the AI ​​wave

To cope with the changing job market, educators are also having to adapt. The University of Washington is launching a new course on “AI-assisted software development,” which will teach students about modern software engineering methods and the role of AI as a supporting tool. However, the core courses will still prohibit the use of AI so that students learn the fundamentals without relying too much on technology.

Coding schools are not left out. Daniele Grassi, CEO of General Assembly, says the school is now attracting both senior executives and HR and sales professionals who want to develop AI skills. As a result, General Assembly has begun designing programs to help workers at all levels of the company gain AI skills.

Tech experts say they still need young people with computer science degrees. Deepak Singh, vice president of Amazon Web Services, says critical thinking skills are becoming more important as AI takes over simple tasks, leaving humans more time to be creative.

That may not be much comfort to recent graduates, though. Kyle Holm, vice president at consulting firm Sequoia, writes that “the AI ​​boom doesn’t follow the patterns of previous tech cycles.”

David Barajas, a software engineer with more than a decade of experience, believes that AI will change jobs, not eliminate them, as long as future engineers learn to embrace it. “AI will not replace you as an engineer,” Barajas said. “An engineer who knows how to use AI will replace you.”

(According to CNN)

President Trump: The US is leading China by a huge distance in AI. At a dinner party on September 4 with the participation of dozens of technology leaders, President Donald Trump declared that the US is leading China in the field of artificial intelligence (AI).

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