Your Job Isn't to Write Code Anymore

Let's be direct. The tech job market is hitting an uncomfortable twist. After years of steady growth, Statistics Canada reported a sharp 2.7% drop (-14,000 jobs) in computer systems design in a single recent month¹. This isn't just a market correction; it's a signal that a fundamental shift is underway.

The cause is clear: AI is getting very good at the thing many of us were hired to do—write code. While the long-term view suggests a redefinition of roles rather than outright replacement², the immediate effect is the automation of entry-level and repetitive tasks.

But this is not a reason to panic. It's a reason to pivot. Don't compete with the machine; it's a losing battle. Instead, focus on what it cannot do. I recently read about the concept of a "Code Health Guardian,"³ and it perfectly describes the path forward for experienced developers. AI can generate 100 lines of code in a second, but it has no idea if that code adds to a mountain of technical debt. It can't simplify a complex architecture. It can't make strategic decisions to ensure a system will still be maintainable in five years.

That's our new job.

Our value is no longer in the volume of code we produce, but in the complexity we remove. We must master architecture, system design, and the art of simplicity. Our role is evolving from code implementer to system architect.

This leaves us with a critical question: how will the next generation of engineers gain the experience they need when AI is handling the entry-level work?

Sources:

• ¹ Statistics Canada. (December 2024). "The Daily — Labour Force Survey, November 2024," citing a 2.7% (-14,000) drop in employment in computer systems design and related services.
• ² As discussed in articles from IE University ("How AI is transforming the tech job market") and The Irish Times ("AI begins to bite"), which frame the change as a skills gap and a redefinition of job requirements.
• ³ Concept from the book "Code Health Guardian: The Old-New Role of a Human Programmer in the AI Era" by Artie Shevchenko.