It's getting harder to break into tech, and I don't think we're talking about it enough
I keep hearing the same thing from people trying to get into this industry.
They’re struggling to break in.
Not because they’re not capable. Not because they’re not putting the effort in. But because the usual entry points don’t seem to be there in the same way anymore.
Fewer junior roles. Fewer apprenticeships. Higher expectations for “entry-level” positions.
And a growing sense that the path in isn’t as clear as it used to be.
What’s changed
I don’t think this has happened by accident.
The shift to remote working during Covid changed a lot more than just where we sit.
Before, a lot of learning happened informally.
Sitting near people. Hearing conversations. Asking quick questions. Seeing how decisions were made. Picking things up without even realising it.
That kind of learning is much harder to replicate remotely.
It’s not impossible, but it requires more structure, more intention and more time from people who are already busy.
So what happens?
Teams optimise.
They hire people who can already operate more independently. People who need less support. People who can step in and deliver quickly.
Which makes sense from a delivery perspective.
But it creates a gap.
Because the people who need that first opportunity don’t get it.
The expectation gap
At the same time, expectations haven’t really shifted.
You still see job descriptions asking for experience, even at the most junior levels and generally expecting much more.
You still see portfolios expected to demonstrate real-world impact.
You still see hiring processes that favour people who have already had a chance to do the work.
It creates a loop.
You need experience to get in. But you need to get in to get experience.
And for a lot of people, that loop is getting harder to break.
Why this matters
This isn’t just a problem for individuals trying to get started.
It’s a problem for the industry.
If we make it harder for people to enter, we narrow the range of perspectives coming in.
We reduce diversity of thought, background and experience.
We also risk creating a generation of talent that never gets the opportunity to develop in the way previous generations did.
That’s not something that shows up immediately.
But over time, it has an impact.
What I’d do differently now
If I was starting out today, I don’t think I would rely on traditional entry routes in the same way.
Not because they don’t exist at all.
But because they’re less predictable.
Small products. Experiments. Tools. Anything that shows how I think and how I approach problems.
Not polished portfolios built purely for presentation.
Actual things.
Things people can use. Even if only a few people do.
That does a few things.
It gives you something tangible to talk about. It shows how you make decisions. It demonstrates how you deal with constraints. It creates evidence of your ability that isn’t dependent on someone giving you permission first.
It’s not an easy solution
This isn’t a perfect answer.
Building things takes time. It takes effort. It takes a willingness to work without immediate validation.
Not everyone has the space or support to do that easily.
And it doesn’t replace the need for organisations to think more carefully about how they bring in and support junior talent.
But it is something people can control.
And in an environment where traditional paths are less reliable, that matters.
Where this leaves us
I don’t think the industry has fully caught up with the consequences of the shift to remote working yet.
We’ve adapted how we deliver.
We haven’t fully adapted how we develop people.
Until we do, the gap at the entry level is likely to stay.
And more people will feel like they’re trying to break into something that has quietly become much harder to access.
Closing
I don’t think this is about lowering the bar.
It’s about recognising that the path to reaching that bar has changed.
And if we don’t adjust for that, we risk closing the door on people who could have gone on to do really strong work.
People just need a way in.
Right now, that way in isn’t as clear as it used to be.