What on earth is happening to junior coders these days? It seems like the job market for young developers has turned into a battlefield, and they’re the ones getting blown away. Since the launch of ChatGPT, developers aged 22-25 have seen nearly 20% of their jobs vanish. That’s right, nearly one in five. If you’re thinking that’s bad, hold on—AI is predicted to wipe out half of all entry-level white-collar jobs within five years. Talk about a rude awakening!
In 2025, layoffs accelerated at an alarming rate, with entire departments being wiped out overnight. Amazon alone cut 18,000 jobs, and the tech world saw a staggering 400,000 layoffs in 2023. Entry-level job openings are declining for the first time since 2009, and the unemployment rate for young coders could hit 10-20% soon. Thanks to macroeconomic uncertainty, inflation, and offshoring, the outlook is grim. The rapid advancement of AI technology is expected to contribute global GDP growth of $15.7 trillion by 2030.
AI is the ultimate villain in this drama. It’s stepping in to automate the very tasks junior coders usually handle—those repetitive, mind-numbing coding assignments. More experienced developers are now scooping up those tasks, leaving junior coders out in the cold. Employers are thrilled, expecting to cut their workforce where automation applies. It’s a real game of musical chairs, but guess what? The music just stopped, and only the seasoned players are left standing. In fact, companies are now hiring 20% smaller teams compared to 2020, which further exacerbates the situation for juniors. As a result, 300 million full-time jobs globally could be affected by AI, which further diminishes the prospects for entry-level positions.
AI is taking over junior coders’ tasks, leaving them behind as seasoned pros thrive in this ruthless job market.
But it’s not just AI causing the chaos. The job market is competitive, and junior developers are facing a shrinking pool of opportunities. The number of young workers in AI-affected sectors is plummeting. For instance, in the first quarter of 2025, the U.S. saw a drop of 98,000 workers aged 25-29.
Graduate job postings have nosedived—67% in the UK and 43% in the U.S. since 2022. It’s a wonder anyone even wants to enter this field anymore.
And let’s not forget the salary offers. They’re falling like a lead balloon, making it even tougher for junior coders to land positions. The roles that junior developers traditionally occupy—like technical writers or marketing coordinators—are prime targets for AI displacement. Contract positions, which are often the entry point for juniors, are also getting the axe.
In short, junior coders are in deep trouble. The landscape is changing, and fast. The future looks bleak, and the competition is fiercer than ever. Welcome to the new coding apocalypse.
