The Path That Used to Exist

A few years ago, the path into tech felt almost predictable. You learned how to code, landed a junior position, and slowly grew into a senior developer. It wasn’t easy, but it was clear.

That path still exists on paper. In practice, it’s quietly breaking down.

What Changed Inside Teams

I lead a development team in a high-pressure environment, and over the past couple of years, something shifted. We didn’t make a big announcement. There was no strategic decision titled “Stop Hiring Juniors.” But when you look at what’s actually happening, the result is the same: we’re hiring fewer junior developers.

Not because we don’t want to help people grow. But because the system we operate in stopped supporting it.

At one point, we even had a discussion about shortening onboarding and training for new joiners. Not to improve the experience or make it more efficient in a meaningful way, but simply to spend less time on it. That alone says a lot.…