u/TacoTuesdayX

This post is being updated because I genuinely found yalls thoughts interesting and am massively dissappointed I couldn’t respond. But I’m starting to worry will AI mean we really aren’t needed after all?

I’ve been digging through samples of job listings and despite 31% of listings being labeled as “internships”. Hiring of new software engineers, data engineers, SREs, and related internships is at an all time record low.

(data points come from this personal analysis I ran on 1366 job listings)

Question 🙋 How far off are we from seeing our industry resemble that of automotive industry where most of us will be more or less “mechanics for software”?

Though I’m starting to worry will AI mean we really aren’t needed after all?

I’ve been digging through samples of job listings and despite 31% of listings being labeled as “internships”. Hiring of new software engineers, data engineers, SREs, and related internships is at an all time record low.

this dashboard consists of 1336 job listings, nearly 420 of which are internships zero of which are for tech.

Hey all been tracking job data here in the US and noticing an interesting trend: internships are no longer a side category—they’re becoming a dominant entry point. Out of 1,366 job listings I scraped this month, roughly 30% were internship-level roles. That’s not just a bump—it’s a structural change, especially compared to last year, when internships made up a far smaller slice of postings.

Sadly for us looking to score some FAANG creds sre screwed: they are largely for healthcare, education, and automotive.

Link to live notebook/dashboard for sample analysis.

Hey all been tracking job data here in the US and noticing an interesting trend: internships are no longer a side category—they’re becoming a dominant entry point. Out of 1,366 job listings I scraped this month, roughly 30% were internship-level roles. That’s not just a bump—it’s a structural change, especially compared to last year, when internships made up a far smaller slice of postings.

Link to live notebook/dashboard for sample analysis.

This rise suggests companies are rethinking how they hire and develop talent. Instead of competing for fully trained candidates, many are investing earlier, using internships as extended trial periods. It’s a lower-risk strategy for employers and a longer proving ground for candidates. But it also blurs the line between “entry-level” and “pre-entry-level,” raising the bar for new graduates.

For job seekers, this trend cuts both ways. On one hand, there are more opportunities to get a foot in the door. On the other, it may take longer to secure stable, full-time roles. The implication is clear: experience is being pulled earlier into the career pipeline.

If this trajectory continues, internships may stop being optional résumé boosters and instead become a near-mandatory phase of modern employment.