Young people think little of Big Tech

Current college students majoring in tech or recent grads are put off by the deluge of layoffs hitting Big Tech and are now looking to apply their skills at less well-known yet stable firms, the government, or startups focused on more “greater good” work. And with ChatGPT starting to be used across the industry to take on tasks reserved for entry-level positions, many students may now feel that even if they land a job at a Big Tech firm, it may come with an expiration date.

De-FAANGed
Big Tech is facing a disillusionment crisis.

• While enrollment in computer science and engineering majors are up 5% at MIT, fewer students are actually graduating with those degrees.
• And enrollment in tech-focused majors are down at Princeton, even though they still remain the most popular at the university.
• For those graduating, applications at blue-chip firms are down 10% at name-brand firms and 15% down at startups considered “fast-growing.” 
• Meanwhile, applications are up 104% at government entities and 44% at nonprofits (with a focus on those dealing with sustainability or energy).

A study by job-focused software company Handshake found that “Above all, students want a stable job that pays well, and they’re willing to flex other requirements — from company brand and growth rate to remote-work options — to get it.”

How radically… traditional.