Junior dev hiring is down 20% -- but 'software engineer' isn't dying, it's splitting in two

Two datasets that shouldn't both be true In April 2026, CNN published "The demise of software engineering jobs has been greatly exaggerated." The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 17% growth for software engineers through 2033. The profession is growing faster than average. The same month, Stanford data confirmed that developers aged 22-25 lost approximately 20% of positions since 2022. Entry-level technology roles in the UK dropped 46% in 2024, with projections hitting 53% by end of 2026. Bot