What about juniors?

A reflection on how the role of junior software engineers is evolving in an era of rapid technological change. The core argument is that juniors should engage earlier with business context, economics, product, and customers rather than spending years in a purely technical apprenticeship. While the craft and science of programming still matter, the new junior path demands broader ownership — talking to customers, owning deadlines, and understanding real-world constraints. Juniors who embrace this expanded scope have strong career prospects; those seeking narrow, low-ambiguity technical roles face a less certain path.