{"id":2474981,"date":"2025-08-15T05:42:01","date_gmt":"2025-08-15T09:42:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/americans-learned-to-code-at-obamas-behest-cant-find-jobs\/"},"modified":"2025-08-15T05:47:25","modified_gmt":"2025-08-15T09:47:25","slug":"americans-learned-to-code-at-obamas-behest-cant-find-jobs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/americans-learned-to-code-at-obamas-behest-cant-find-jobs\/","title":{"rendered":"Americans &#8216;Learned To Code&#8217; At Obama&#8217;s Behest, Can&#8217;t Find Jobs"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Famericans-learned-to-code-at-obamas-behest-cant-find-jobs%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2474981&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Teh article highlights the challenges faced by recent computer science (CS) graduates in finding employment despite widespread encouragement over the past decade to &#8220;learn to code&#8221; for promising careers. It tells the story of Manasi Mishra, a Purdue University graduate who struggled nearly a year to secure a job in tech, only succeeding after her viral TikTok video. A Federal Reserve Bank of New York report shows that unemployment rates among CS and computer engineering graduates are significantly higher then for many other majors.<\/p>\n<p>The article traces the origins of the push for CS education, noting efforts by tech companies, entrepreneurs, and political figures like former President Barack Obama and Joe Biden, who promoted coding as a pathway to future jobs.Despite these efforts and the doubling of CS enrollment in colleges, many graduates now <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >face challenging job prospects due<\/a> to rapid advances in artificial intelligence (AI), which is automating many coding tasks and leading to layoffs and fewer entry-level tech jobs.<\/p>\n<p>Experts warn that AI-driven disruptions will extend beyond tech, affecting financial services and other white-collar sectors. Meanwhile,skilled trades such as plumbing,welding,and electrical work are experiencing strong demand and may offer more secure career paths. The article concludes that while no single career advice fits everyone, qualities like adaptability, discipline, and perseverance remain crucial as the economy evolves and technical skills become more commoditized.  <\/p>\n<div id=\"ld-4686-3758\"><\/div>\n<p><script>(function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:14832835450050406,size:[0, 0],id:\"ld-4686-3758\"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src=\"https:\/\/cdn2.decide.dev\/_js\/ajs.js\";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,\"script\",\"ld-ajs\");<\/script><\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>Manasi Mishra, a 21-year-old with a degree in computer science (CS) from Purdue University, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2025\/08\/10\/technology\/coding-ai-jobs-students.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">shared<\/a> in a TikTok video that despite her intelligence and hard work, she struggled to find a job for nearly a year. The only company that called her back for an interview during this time was Chipotle, and she did not get the job. It was only after her video went viral that Mishra finally secured a job offer last month.<\/p>\n<p>Mishra&rsquo;s experience reveals an alarming trend: Many recent graduates who major in CS are struggling to find employment. According to a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.newyorkfed.org\/research\/college-labor-market#--:explore:outcomes-by-major\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">report<\/a> by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, those with degrees in CS and computer engineering (CE) <a href=\"https:\/\/www.msn.com\/en-in\/money\/news\/us-computer-science-degrees-from-top-universities-are-leaving-graduates-jobless-why-is-top-coding-education-no-longer-enough\/ar-AA1KkiXH\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">face<\/a> unemployment rates of 6.1 percent and 7.5 percent, respectively &mdash; figures that are more than double the rates seen among recent graduates in fields like art history (3 percent) and ethnic studies (2.6 percent). Furthermore, CS and CE rank as the third and eighth worst majors for unemployment out of the 70-plus majors the report tracked.<\/p>\n<p>These unemployed CS graduates have compelling reasons to be frustrated, especially when, for more than a decade, tech leaders and leftist politicians have told them that learning to code is the sure way to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/equal-pay-day-2021-where-do-women-actually-stand\/\" title=\"Equal Pay Day 2021: Where Do Women Actually Stand?\">high-paying jobs<\/a> and a promising future.<\/p>\n<p>Since the early 2010s, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/state-level-republicans-push-back-on-big-tech\/\" title=\"State-Level Republicans Push Back on Big ...\">major tech companies<\/a> like Microsoft and Facebook have <a href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.com\/story\/2014\/12\/hour-of-code-schools-obama-113408\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">voiced<\/a> concerns about a lack of skilled programmers. In response, twins Hadi and Ali Partovi, who are successful tech entrepreneurs and investors, launched <a href=\"https:\/\/code.org\/en-US\/about\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Code.org <\/a>in 2013 to advocate for CS education in K-12 schools. Their website features inspiring endorsements from influential figures like Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg, reinforcing the importance of coding skills for the next generation.<\/p>\n<p>Few political figures have championed the call for young people to &ldquo;learn to code&rdquo; as fervently as former President Barack Obama. In 2013, he kicked off Code.org&rsquo;s &ldquo;Computer Science Education Week&rdquo; with a <a href=\"https:\/\/venturebeat.com\/business\/president-obama-kicks-off-cs-education-week-with-code-org-dont-just-play-on-your-phone-program-it\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">video message<\/a>, urging every student to embrace coding, proclaiming that &ldquo;learning these skills isn&rsquo;t just important for your future &mdash; it&rsquo;s important for America&rsquo;s future.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The following year, major tech companies <a href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.com\/story\/2014\/12\/hour-of-code-schools-obama-113408\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">backed<\/a> a $30 million campaign to promote CS education in schools. To show his support, Obama visited a New Jersey classroom and became the <a href=\"https:\/\/obamawhitehouse.archives.gov\/blog\/2016\/01\/30\/computer-science-all\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">first<\/a> president to write a line of code, inspiring a generation to pursue coding.<\/p>\n<p>A few <a href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.com\/story\/2014\/12\/hour-of-code-schools-obama-113408\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">voices expressed concerns<\/a> even back then. Some questioned the supposed shortage of computer programmers, <a href=\"https:\/\/issues.org\/what-shortages-the-real-evidence-about-the-stem-workforce\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">noting<\/a> that only about two-thirds of computer and information sciences graduates secured jobs in their field within a year. Others <a href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.com\/story\/2014\/12\/hour-of-code-schools-obama-113408\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">worried<\/a> about the lack of research supporting the effectiveness of CS curricula from Code.org and the appropriateness of K-12 education focused primarily on tech companies&rsquo; needs.<\/p>\n<p>Advocates who viewed &ldquo;learning to code&rdquo; as a panacea for career success overlooked these concerns. In 2016,&nbsp;Obama launched the &ldquo;<a href=\"https:\/\/obamawhitehouse.archives.gov\/blog\/2016\/01\/30\/computer-science-all\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Computer Science for All Initiative<\/a>&rdquo; (CS for All), which aimed to provide &ldquo;every student hands-on computer science and math classes that make them job-ready on day one.&rdquo; This initiative included $4 billion for states and $100 million for school districts to enhance computer science education. Obama <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnbc.com\/2017\/09\/19\/barack-obama-just-surprised-hundreds-of-kids-who-are-learning-to-code.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">continued<\/a> to advocate for the &ldquo;learn to code&rdquo; movement even after leaving office.<\/p>\n<p>Obama&rsquo;s former Vice President Joe Biden took a step further in 2019 by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/joe-biden-new-hampshire-campaign-code-1479913\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">suggesting<\/a> that coal miners learn to code in order to transition to &ldquo;jobs of the future.&rdquo; Biden emphasized, &ldquo;Anybody who can throw coal into a furnace can learn how to program for God&rsquo;s sake!&rdquo; His remarks were <a href=\"https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/joe-biden-new-hampshire-campaign-code-1479913\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">criticized<\/a> as &ldquo;tone-deaf and unhelpful.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Nevertheless, many young people, like Mishra, took the calls for action from Obama and technology leaders to heart. The number of college students majoring in CS-related fields more than doubled over the past decade, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techinasia.com\/news\/us-tech-grads-face-high-jobless-rates-as-meta-intel-cut-staff\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">reaching<\/a> 170,000 last year.<\/p>\n<p>Some of these students likely financed their education with student loan debt. Unfortunately, many of these graduates are now struggling to find the well-paying tech jobs they were trained for due to the dramatic changes in the technology landscape, primarily driven by artificial intelligence (AI).<\/p>\n<p>Because AI performs coding tasks much faster and more cost-effectively, tech companies have been laying off existing entry-level employees and have also reduced the number of new job postings for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/many-employers-are-dropping-bachelors-degree-requirements\/\" title=\"Many Employers Are Dropping Bachelor\u2019s Degree Requirements\">entry-level positions<\/a>. By July, more than <a href=\"https:\/\/www.finalroundai.com\/blog\/ai-tech-layoffs-mid-2025\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">130,000<\/a> tech workers had lost their jobs, either because their employers replaced them with AI or chose to reallocate funds toward AI-related investments. Additionally, tech-related job postings decreased by<a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/ai-layoffs-tech-industry-jobs-ece82b0babb84bf11497dca2dae952b5\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"> 36 percent<\/a> in July, compared to early in 2020.<\/p>\n<p>Urging young people to &ldquo;learn to code&rdquo; might be one of the most misguided pieces of career advice. &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve been telling kids for 15 years to code,&rdquo; Mike Rowe, the former host of Discovery Channel&rsquo;s &ldquo;Dirty Jobs,&rdquo; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailymail.co.uk\/yourmoney\/article-14913009\/Mike-Rowe-blue-collar-jobs-AI.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">said<\/a>. &ldquo;Yeah, well AI is coming for the coders.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>LinkedIn&rsquo;s chief economic opportunity officer, Aneesh Raman, <a href=\"https:\/\/fortune.com\/2025\/05\/25\/ai-entry-level-jobs-gen-z-careers-young-workers-linkedin\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">warned<\/a> that the AI-driven job cuts by tech companies are only the beginning. The financial sector will be hit next as big Wall Street firms <a href=\"https:\/\/fortune.com\/2025\/06\/02\/junior-analysts-wall-street-jobs-taken-by-ai\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">reportedly<\/a> are planning to cut back hiring as much as two-thirds because they&rsquo;ve replace junior analysts and bankers with AI. Ford Motor CEO&nbsp;Jim Farley <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailymail.co.uk\/yourmoney\/article-14872217\/wall-street-job-threat-white-collar-ai.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">predicted<\/a> that AI will &ldquo;replace literally half of all white-collar workers in the U.S.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The encouraging news is that not all jobs will fall victim to AI advancements. In fact, skilled trades &mdash; like welding, plumbing, and electrical work &mdash; are experiencing remarkable demand now and will continue to do so in the coming years, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailymail.co.uk\/yourmoney\/article-14913009\/Mike-Rowe-blue-collar-jobs-AI.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Rowe<\/a>. He estimates that the automotive sector alone is seeking 80,000 collision repair technicians. Ironically, the very blue-collar jobs that many leftist elites often <a href=\"https:\/\/www.huffpost.com\/entry\/why-the-disdain-for-ameri_b_7746642\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">disdain<\/a> are the ones that will not only survive but thrive in this changing landscape.<\/p>\n<p>That said, we shouldn&rsquo;t hastily start going all in on &ldquo;learning a trade.&rdquo; It is impossible to predict the future, and there is no one-size-fits-all piece of career advice.<\/p>\n<p>Our economy is vibrant and continually evolving. Each individual has distinct talents and aspirations. There are countless paths to a fulfilling career. In our increasingly digitized world, more technical skills will gradually become more commoditized. What technology cannot replicate, however, are essential human attributes like adaptability, discipline, and perseverance. Those who cultivate these qualities will learn new skills, stay relevant in a fast-paced world, and secure a promising future for themselves and their families.<\/p>\n<hr>\n<div>\n<p>      Helen Raleigh, CFA, is an American entrepreneur, writer, and speaker. She&#8217;s a senior contributor at The Federalist. Her writings appear in other national media, including The Wall Street Journal and Fox News.  Helen is the author of several books, including &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Confucius-Never-Said-Helen-Raleigh\/dp\/1499185278\/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&amp;keywords=Helen+Raleigh+Confucius+Never+Said&amp;qid=1606079469&amp;sr=8-1\">Confucius Never Said<\/a>&#8221; and &ldquo;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Backlash-How-Chinas-Aggression-Backfired\/dp\/1736008501\/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&amp;qid=1606006113&amp;sr=8-1\">Backlash: How Communist China&#8217;s Aggression Has Backfired<\/a>.&#8221; Her latest book is the 2nd edition of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Broken-Welcome-Mat-unAmerican-immigration-ebook\/dp\/B0C44QSPJ9\/ref=sr_1_3?crid=3HFXEVT236ZRW&amp;keywords=The+Broken+welcome+mat+book&amp;qid=1683127487&amp;sprefix=the+broken+welcome+mat+book%2Caps%2C135&amp;sr=8-3\">&ldquo;The Broken Welcome Mat: America&rsquo;s UnAmerican immigration policy, and how we should fix it.&rdquo;<\/a>   Follow her on Parler and Twitter: @HRaleighspeaks.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>CS grad Manasi Mishra struggled nearly a year to find work<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":536,"featured_media":2474982,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/20445410340_e6164bdad8_k.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[3884,40464,61324,5315,4846],"class_list":["post-2474981","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-americans","tag-job-market","tag-learn-to-code","tag-obama","tag-unemployment"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/20445410340_e6164bdad8_k.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2474981","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/536"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2474981"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2474981\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2474985,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2474981\/revisions\/2474985"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2474982"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2474981"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2474981"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2474981"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}