During the debate organized by No Fluff Jobs, the experts agreed: the game rules changed forever. The era of unreasonable “patting the code” has ended. Companies are no longer looking for craftsmen, but partners who can think, question and solve business problems.
The golden era of IT, when the companies “took everyone, how it flies” came to an end. The industry needs people who understand why they are doing something. At the same time, this change exposed the weakness of the educational model based on short, intense courses. – It is not the fault of these people that they are undoubted today. The wines are on the Bootcamps side, which sold false dreams – said Oskar Lakner, CEO Nerds.family.
From a code craftsman to a business partner
Until recently, the main criterion for looking for candidates was to know specific tools. Today, employers need people who can change these tools and learn new ones. Soft competences – communication, team cooperation, awareness of their resources – are as important as technical skills.
– We need people who think – noted Michał Bojko, research and development director at Dynatrace. – Not subcontractors, not code craftsmen, but people who understand what they provide and are able to cooperate with the client.
As the expert explained, in practice it means the habit of constantly asking questions “Why?”. – It is expected that the engineer, instead of impossible to implement the task, will ask “why do I do this project?”, “For whom?”, “Why does anyone need this function?”. It may turn out that the problem lies somewhere else. This is the transition from the contractor's mentality to the role of a partner who is not afraid to question the assumptions to provide business value. This is a completely different level of responsibility.
Global wave of change and the role of education
IT market transformation is part of a global trend. Forecasts indicate that Until 2035, up to 600 million people in the world will have to change their profession due to technology development.
In such a reality, learning throughout life ceases to be a slogan. The problem is that the current education model does not prepare people for critical thinking and solving problems that employers expect today. This raises the question of whether schools and universities keep up with market requirements.
Mikołaj Makowski, managing director at Devire Poland, emphasized that the role of the organization is to properly manage young people and think about investing in their development.
Fomo, Education and Organizational Culture
Natalia Ćwik, leader of the Campus AI product team, pointed out that Fomo is the largest science blocker. – People learn in panic, for fear that they will be behind. Meanwhile, science requires peace and understanding of the goal, not a race – she emphasized.
The problem, however, lies deeper than in the attitude of the employees themselves. As the panelists noted, the process of changing in organizations often is crashing about the managerial staff. Too often, trainings are treated as an obligation. – If someone comes to training just because “boss told him”, it is the boss's fault – added Oskar Lakner.
A good manager should know what people he needs and how to develop them. This requires investment in Management, which Natalia Ćwik pointed out. Leaders, promoted too quickly, are not prepared for leading teams in a new, unstable reality. They lack tools to talk to employees and to build learning culture, and their own fear of changing is transferred to teams. Therefore, as the expert emphasized, it becomes crucial Conscious “incubation of leaders” and long -term investment in their development.
Age, skills and experience
Depending on the age of employees, changes in the labor market affect them in different ways. People 40-, 50— or 60-year-old often have difficulty learning new technologies-this is a natural process related to a decrease in cognitive abilities. But in return they have extensive experience that is priceless. – In IT, older people performed better than younger employees – noted Oskar Lakner. – They see a broader context, understand business and are able to act strategically.
Experts also admitted that it is harder to young people on the labor market today. They lack the patience, experience and ability to work in complex structures. This is an additional challenge for companies that must create a space for exchanging knowledge between generations.
And changes the rules of the game
Despite these challenges, according to Oskar Lakner, There have never been better times to do it. Technology, driven by AI, opened the door for creative units like never before.
The development of artificial intelligence, however, does not eliminate the need to employ programmers – on the contrary, it raises the bar. – Today you can speak to a computer in natural language and create a code, but you need to know what you really want to achieve – noted Robert Tomaszewski, Chief Development Officer at Altkom Akademia.
Michał Bojko agreed with him, who pointed out that the engineers could not know what every line of code they write does. – Ai is a tool, but the mathematical and algorithmic foundation still has to be in the head.
The key to success is a change in mentality and focus on competences that cannot be automated – thinking, cooperation and courage to experiment.
Work in IT. What to do to survive?
Experts shared specific tips for both sides of the market.
For employees Self -awareness, having an idea for yourself and openness to experiments become crucial. It is necessary to be able to clearly express thoughts and listen to others. You also have to be able to admit ignorance. As Dorota Piekarska summed up, quoting Professor Ryszard Szubartowski: “He will win with every talent.”
For companies The priority should be to build a supporting environment that promotes development and does not punish for mistakes. Companies must also take care of work hygiene and mental health of the teams. – Today we are fighting employees to take holidays. This shows how much work culture requires change – said Michał Bojko.
As experts emphasized, the future belongs to IT specialists who thoroughly understand specific industries. Experts from FinTech, Medtech or Retail, combining technical and business knowledge, will create a value that will not be replaced by any AI tool. They will drive real innovations.
– We are a fantastic Europe outsourcing center. About six percent Polish GDP comes from the IT industry, which is an impressive result – added Michał Bojko. – However, we still largely implement other people's projects. If we want to stop knowledge and experience in Poland, we must start creating our own products. This is a strategic choice that will decide whether Poland will remain a “technology assembly plant” or will become an innovation center.
