This article is about computer science students face a shrinking big tech job market. Previously, tech companies used internship programs to recruit promising job candidates, with many students receiving offers to return as full-time employees after graduation. However, those opportunities have decreased this year. According to a person familiar with the program, Amazon is considering cutting the number of interns by more than half for 2023. For students and recent graduates who have spent years preparing for careers at the world’s largest technology companies, a new reality is emerging.

Annalice  Ni, 22, was shocked when Meta fired her as a software engineer last month. She is now taking advantage of the opportunity to broaden her professional horizons. Annalice Ni has wanted to work for a major tech company like Google when she was in 10th grade in Seattle. She worked very hard to complete the internship requirements and other résumé requirements that make students desirable hires for the biggest tech companies.

Ni completed a high school computer science degree, worked as an intern at Microsoft, and volunteered to teach younger students how to code. She studied computer science as a major at the University of Washington and worked as a software engineer intern there. She moved to Silicon Valley after receiving her college degree this year to begin her dream job as a software engineer at Meta, Facebook’s parent company. Ni was one of the 11,000 workers who were let go by Meta last month.

Ni, said that after experiencing an unexpected career setback, she felt “very frustrated, disappointed, and maybe even a little scared because all of a sudden, I didn’t know what to do.” In college especially, there wasn’t much I could have done more of or better than I already had.

What exactly is computer science study?

The possibility of six-figure starting salaries, benefits like free food, and the chance to work on apps used by billions of people have caused a stampede of young people toward computer science over the past ten years on college campuses all over the United States. Computer science is the study of computer programming and procedures like algorithms. According to the Computing Research Association, which tracks computing degrees at about 200 universities, the number of undergraduates majoring in the subject more than tripled from 2011 to 2021, reaching nearly 136,000 students.

Facebook, Google, and Microsoft helped the computing education boom by promoting software jobs to students as a path to profitable careers and the ability to change the world.

According to Amazon spokesman Brad Glasser, the company is dedicate to its internship program and the practical experience it offers. A Meta spokeswoman cited a letter that Mark Zuckerberg, the company’s CEO, wrote to employees last month to inform them of the layoffs.

Plans for hiring at smaller tech companies are also involving. The well-known gaming platform Roblox announced plans to hire 300 interns for the summer of 2019, nearly double the number from this year, and stated it anticipated receiving more than 50,000 applications. Redfin, which had 38 interns this summer, announced that the program would be canceled for next year.

What will the future of computer science jobs look like in the coming years?

There are still good jobs available for computer students, and the field is expanding. According to Bureau of Labor Statistics projections, employment for software developers and testers will grow by 25% between 2021 and 2031, resulting in more than 411,000 new jobs. However, many of those jobs are in fields such as finance and the automotive industry.

According to Brent Winkelman, chief of staff for the Department of computer science at the University of Texas at Austin, “Students are still receiving multiple job offers.” “They’ll come from companies like G.M., Toyota, and Lockheed,” said the analyst. “They might just not have come from Meta, Twitter, or Amazon.” College career centers have evolved into a haven for students on the verge of entering the tech job market. The search for a Plan B is increasing in the offices of career counselors.

Some students are applying to smaller tech firms. Others are looking for tech jobs outside the sector, such as with Walmart or nonprofits and governmental organizations.

“This specific class has been a lot more knowledgeable than previous classes,” said Hazel Raja, senior director of career development at Pomona College in Claremont, California. “Even those who have accepted job offers are still networking and participating in campus recruiting opportunities.”

Helen Dong, a 21-year-old Carnegie Mellon University

Helen Dong, a 21-year-old Carnegie Mellon University senior majoring in computer science, interned at Meta twice, in 2021 and 2022. So she was surprised, she said, when she wasn’t given a job offer from the company at the end of the summer. Meta’s recent layoffs prompted her to apply for jobs outside of technology, such as at automotive and financial firms. She advised her peers to adjust their job expectations in a video she posted on TikTok last month.

Ms. Dong joked on TikTok while singing along to “Reduce Your Expectations to 0”: “I chose computer science as my major so that I could get a lot of job offers after college and earn a lot of money.” She gave advice in the video that you should be thankful for any job offers you get.

Ten college students

Ten college students and recent graduates who participated in interviews said they weren’t ready for a decline in job opportunities at the biggest technology companies. Until recently, these companies were highly competitive to hire computer science majors from highly regarded universities, with some students getting multiple job offers with six-figure starting salaries and five-figure signing bonuses. There was an entire genre of TikTok videos dedicated to young techies extolling their job perks and annual pay, with at least one pointing out a $198,000 package, complete with stock options and relocation costs.

Numerous individuals who most recently lost their jobs or had job offers in the technology sector withdrawn have shared their experiences on LinkedIn.  Some people have added the hashtag #opentowork to their LinkedIn profile photos to alert recruiters.

Tony Shi, 23,

Tony Shi, 23, is one of them. He studied computer science and business at Western University in London, Ontario. He attended Western University in London, Ontario, where he studied business and computer science. Mr. Shi was among the 650 employees laid off by the ride-hailing company in November.

He is now on a tight timetable to find a new job. Mr. Shi is a Canadian from Waterloo, Ontario, who moved to San Francisco for his job at Lyft. He has 60 days under the visa to find a new job. He stated that he had become more aware of potential employers’ businesses and balance sheets.

“I should take a little more chances,” I don’t want to lose my job again, he said. Rather than taking a company’s word for it, he added, “Now, the product needs to make a lot of sense.” Some recent graduates were unable to begin their new tech jobs.

Rachel Castellino, a statistics major at California Polytechnic State University, worked hard to secure a position at a major tech firm. During college, she worked as a project manager at PayPal, received a National Science Foundation data science fellowship, and founded a data science club at her school.

Ms. Castellino, 22,

Ms. Castellino, 22, was well aware that passing technical interviews, which frequently involve solving programming problems, would require a lot of effort. She spent the majority of last fall looking for employment and preparing for coding assessments. She studied mathematical concepts and programming languages four days a week, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nonetheless, she described the interview process as brutal.

Meta hired her as a data scientist in November 2021, with a start date of December 2022. Meta said she rescinded the offer last month. “I put a lot of time and effort into those interviews.” It felt wonderful to earn something of this caliber, she said. There was a lot I could anticipate.

The obstacle has been annoying. “I was upset,” Ms. Castellino admitted. It wasn’t pleasant to learn that. Ms. Ni, views the loss of her ideal position as a chance to expand her professional options. She has recently applied to midsize tech firms and start-ups that she considers to be innovative — potential employers she had not previously thought about.

I’m looking into opportunities I didn’t have before, Ms. Ni said. I already feel as though I have gained some knowledge.

Frequently Asked Questions

What area of computer science is currently popular?

Research Scientist in Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning. Engineer in Deep Learning.

Will there be a need for computer science in the future?

Computer and information technology (IT)-related careers have the potential to grow much faster than the average for all other fields in the upcoming years, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

What is the future of computer science jobs?

The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that between 2021 and 2031, the employment of computer systems analysts may rise by 9%. This rise is likely the result of more offices and businesses using information technology, which necessitates the assistance of computer systems analysts in the setup and upkeep of IT infrastructure.

Which is in demand in computer science?

 Data analytics courses have become the most popular college computer courses. The field is closely related to data science, but its focus is on applying logical thinking and statistical techniques to data processing rather than coding and programming.

What is the most demanded computer science job?

The top 10 highest paying positions in computer science for 2023 are listed below.

• Computer Programmers…
• Professional Hackers. …
• IT Auditor. …
• Systems Security Administrator. …
• Computer Systems Analyst. …
• Network Security Administrator. …
• System Software Engineer. …
• Data Modeller.

What is the best option for computer science in the future?

Computer engineers, lecturers, IT team leads, data scientists, systems managers, software engineers, machine learning researchers, artificial intelligence engineers, software developers, systems analysts, and systems engineers are just a few of the careers that graduates with a degree in computer science and engineering can pursue.

In Pakistan, what is the scope of computer science?

Graduates in computer science are in high demand in Pakistan, and that demand is only growing. A wide range of subjects, including web development, networking, database management, programming, software engineering, systems analysis, and design, are covered by the BS in computer science program in Pakistan.

Which area of computer science pays the most?

The highest-paying computer science positions according to qualifications are listed below, along with an estimate of their salaries.

• Full Stack Developer
• Principal Software Engineer
• Software Development Manager
• Site Reliability Engineer
• Software Engineering
• Security Engineering
•  UX Design.
• Video Games Development

What are the advantages of computer science study?

It’s simpler to find employment, you have the chance to make a difference in the world, you can develop strong, extremely useful skills, and you can earn a high income.

Why is Computer Science Important?

In the current digital era, it has had a significant impact. Technology has revolutionized a wide range of fields, including communication, science, education, healthcare, business, and entertainment, in addition to having an impact on every aspect of people’s personal lives.