I refresh LinkedIn and see another post: "Junior roles are dead." Another thread on Reddit: "AI is replacing entry-level devs." Another think piece predicting the end of the junior developer.

Then GitHub's former CEO says something completely different.

Thomas Dohmke told "The Pragmatic Engineer" that junior engineers still bring massive value—not despite AI, but because of it.

That aligns with everything I've seen going from junior to team lead.

The Fear Is Real (And Valid)

If you're early in your career right now, I get it. The job market feels brutal. Every posting wants 3+ years of experience. AI tools are getting better. Senior devs are saying they're 10x more productive with Copilot.

So where does that leave you?

Staring at that "Apply" button, wondering if you're already obsolete before you even start.

I've been there—different context, same fear. I remember thinking I'd waited too long, learned the wrong stack, missed my window.

What Juniors Actually Bring

Dohmke's point wasn't just feel-good encouragement, rather it was strategic.

Younger developers adopt AI tools faster. They bring fresh perspectives, recent learning, and don't carry the "this is how we've always done it" mindset.

What that actually looks like in practice:

Fresh ideas and willingness to experiment

You haven't been burned by five failed rewrites. You're not attached to the old way. You see possibilities where others see risk.

AI fluency from recent education

You learned to code with AI tools. That's not a weakness—it's native fluency in the tools shaping the industry.

Open-minded approach to new tools

When someone suggests trying a new framework or approach, you don't have years of muscle memory fighting against it.

Energy that pushes teams forward

You ask "why?" when everyone else just accepts "because that's how it works." That questions systems. That creates momentum.

Diverse backgrounds shaping better solutions

You didn't all come from the same CS program or bootcamp cohort. You bring perspectives from music, teaching, healthcare, design—experiences that matter when building for real users.

🔧 Engineering vs. Coding

Here's where Dohmke's point gets sharper.

Engineering still requires craft and systems thinking. But future engineers combine prompting skills with open source to solve problems faster.

The coding skill matters. But engineering means building complex systems—whether you write every line or orchestrate AI to help.

The new generation of developers will ship faster than I ever did.

But they will need to understood the why, the architecture, the tradeoffs. The AI just helps them type faster.

That's engineering.

🎓 What I Learned Going from Junior to Lead

The fastest-growing developers on my teams weren't always the most technically gifted.

They were the ones who:

• Asked questions when everyone else stayed quiet
• Tried new approaches instead of copying old patterns
• Shared what they learned, even when it felt basic
• Elevated everyone by bringing curiosity into the room

One junior dev I mentored was terrified they weren't "technical enough" because they used AI tools heavily. But they became the person everyone went to for architecture questions—because they could explain complex systems clearly, having learned by asking better questions.

Your edge isn't knowing everything. It's learning fast and thinking clearly.

🧭 If You're Worried About the Junior Market

You're still needed.

Companies that understand growth know they need fresh perspectives alongside experience. They need people who challenge assumptions. They need energy and curiosity driving the team forward.

Yes, the market is tough. Yes, you'll face rejection. Yes, some companies are shortsighted about junior roles.

But the best teams? They're actively looking for what you bring.

✅ So What Should You Focus On?

Not just technical skills. Not just prompting. Something beyond code.

Focus on:

Systems thinking

Understand how pieces connect. Why this API structure? Why this state management pattern? Why this deployment strategy?

Communication

Explain your decisions. Write clear tickets. Ask better questions. Engineering is a team sport.

Problem-solving with tools

Use AI, Stack Overflow, documentation, senior devs—whatever gets you unstuck and moving. The skill is knowing when to use what.

Building in public

Ship projects. Write about what you learn. Show your thinking, not just your code.

Curiosity over credentials

Keep asking "why?" Keep trying new things. Keep sharing what you discover.

🎁 Permission You Don't Need (But I'll Give Anyway)

You don't need to know everything before you're "qualified."

You don't need to code without AI assistance to be a "real" developer.

You don't need years of experience before your perspective matters.

You're ready enough right now. Not because you're perfect, but because engineering teams need what you bring: fresh eyes, new energy, and willingness to challenge how things work.

The junior role isn't disappearing. It's evolving—and you're exactly the kind of developer who thrives in that evolution.

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What are you focusing on right now—technical skills, prompting, or something beyond code? I'd love to hear what's working for you.

Photo by Nubelson Fernandes on Unsplash