Software Engineering Career Talk & Q&A

I was invited to speak to a hall of around a hundred students about building a career in software engineering. Rather than a slide deck about job titles, I walked through what the work actually looks like day to day, which skills employers test for, and how a first job is really won. The second half was an open Q&A that ran long — questions about portfolios, internships, salaries, and whether AI is closing the door on junior developers.

What I covered

• What software engineering work actually looks like day to day
• The skills employers test for, and the ones they do not
• Building a portfolio that stands in for experience
• How hiring and interviews really work
• Where AI leaves entry-level developers