The New Stack Podcast

Why Are So Many Developers Out of Work in 2024?

Dec 12, 2024

Ross O'Neill, Senior Manager of Learning at Andela, focuses on bridging the tech skills gap, particularly in Africa. Chris Aniszczyk, CTO of CNCF, emphasizes the urgent need for Kubernetes-certified professionals. Together, they discuss an initiative to train 20,000 tech talents in cloud-native technologies. The conversation explores how tech layoffs and regional disparities affect the developer job market. They also highlight the importance of networking and soft skills in landing tech positions amidst evolving demands for cloud and security expertise.

21:10

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Episode guests

Chris Aniszczyk

Ross O'Neill

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

The paradox of high developer unemployment amidst a tech skills shortage highlights the urgent need for targeted training in cloud-native technologies.

Andela's initiative to train 20,000 developers in Kubernetes addresses regional skill gaps and aims to unlock Africa's potential in the global tech landscape.

Deep dives

Growth and Mismatch in Developer Workforce

The global developer workforce is currently estimated at around 26 million, with a 20% increase over the past five years. However, there exists a significant mismatch between the skills of available developers and the job requirements, resulting in unfilled positions despite a surplus of talent. Factors contributing to this issue include regional disparities in developer availability and the rapid evolution of required skills, exacerbated by recent layoffs in the tech sector. This scenario calls for a focus on better alignment of educational programs with current industry needs, as companies increasingly demand specific competencies like cloud-native technology expertise.

Intro

2min

Building Tech Talent in Africa

11min

Embracing Open Source for Skills and Community Building

1min

Navigating Skills and Networking in the Developer Job Market

5min

Emerging Trends in Developer Job Market: Security and Platform Engineering

2min

The tech industry faces a paradox: despite high demand for skills, many developers and engineers are unemployed. At KubeCon + CloudNativeCon North America in Salt Lake City, Utah, Andela and the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF) announced an initiative to train 20,000 technologists in cloud native computing over the next decade. oss O'neill, Senior Program Manager at Andela and Chris Aniszczyk, CNCF’s CTO, highlighted the lack of Kubernetes-certified professionals in regions like Africa and emphasized the need for global inclusivity to make cloud native technology ubiquitous.

Andela, operating in over 135 countries and founded in Nigeria, views this program as a continuation of its mission to upskill African talent, aligning with its partnerships with tech giants like Google, AWS, and Nvidia. This initiative also addresses the increasing employer demand for Kubernetes and modern cloud skills, reflecting a broader skills mismatch in the tech workforce.

Aniszczyk noted that companies urgently seek expertise in cloud native infrastructure, observability, and platform engineering. The partnership aims to bridge these gaps, offering opportunities to meet evolving global tech needs.

Learn more from The New Stack about developer talent, skills and needs:

Top Developer Skills for AI and Cloud Jobs

5 Software Development Skills AI Will Render Obsolete

Cloud Native Skill Gaps are Killing Your Gains

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