With time one comes to the realization that one has to move on in life. I must have come to that point for I started looking out to what happens to old programmers.
I recalled the time I started coding about 5 years ago – the year was 2005. I was inspired by my fellow friends (May Our Good Lord bless them) at one of Uganda’s best software companies – True African Uganda. I found a family of coders. They nurtured me and showed me the way. The passion grew and I will forever be indebted to them. Then I believed that I would even work for True African for as long as I lived – of course it never happened. I moved jobs soon after that.
So as I came to the realization of moving on, I looked at some of those guys that had inspired and showed me the way. I wanted to know where they were 5 years later.
Most of them have moved into management, others started their own software companies which they manage and employ young coders to do the work.
I wanted to know why programmers never continue coding till their late 50s or even 6os. I wanted to know what happens to them. In other words, where do old programmers go?
People said that coding needs lots of time and as one gets older, they tend to need more time for family, self projects as compared to their young counterparts who are willing to put in more extra time, are much enthusiastic and are easy to be managed.
Accordingly, most companies would prefer young coders as compared to old coders and groom the young fellows to do what they want them to do. Their argument is that young coders are willing to adapt to new technologies.
So as I look to where I am heading, I wonder what happens to old programmers. I believe that coding is a highly specialized career path and hence leaves one with no time and resources for one to diversify. Coders need to add extra time into learning new skills so as to be multi skilled as compared to being highly specialized.
Once multi skilled, old programmers would then smoothly be taken on into other projects. Not necessarily pure coding but other related coding projects that they would enjoy. I believe honestly that highly specialized career paths stem from old thinking. In this day and age, we should all strive to be multi skilled and be open to changes in the IT world.
I am not saying that people should avoid highly specialized career paths like coding, no, I am saying that people should be multi skilled so as to adapt to the ever changing environment.
As mentioned earlier, I have come to the realization that I must move on, and looking ahead, I don’t see many old programmers; all I see are we the young coders. Shall we still be coding at 50 yrs or 80 yrs? Or we shall move into management like the other coders that I have known??
Maybe you can help me and let me know what you think happens to old programmers (for that’s where I am heading – I will be an old programmer soon.) What happens to old programmers??
7 comments:
I know an old programmer - an uncle of mine - well into his 50s that is still at it. Matter of fact, he just got a new contract position about a month ago. No doubt he loves what he does.
Wow, thats great Wendal. But does he own the company he is working for or have shares in it?? Because then he would be in management. Or he is freelancing?? Is he really employed like most young coders be?? Let me know.
He doesnt own the company. He's actually a freelancer and is contracted to the company he works with now. He's been doing that for the longest time. Sometimes his contracts are 3 or so years, sometimes 6-9 months. I guess despite his age, he's got a wealth of experience behind him and a glossy profile of what he's done and who he's done it for, plus he pretty much keeps competitive with the young coders by keeping in touch with things. I mean who employs a programmer that still writes code in dBase IV right ?
Thanks, well put Wendal. I do agree with you on keeping competitive with the young coders. Else, he would not be doing what he is doing - he would have joined other old programmers and we would be asking what happened to him too. Thanks for that sharing.
they go to coder's paradise
They turn to creating ideas rather than coding the idea..
Is there something like a 'society for progammers' ?
If not, one ought to be started.
Under this umbrella, the old coders could easily be teachers and mentors of the young coders (and at a fee or something ...)
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