I’m a 50-year-old retired technician. Is it worth trying to become a front-end developer at this age, or will ageism become a problem for me in the IT industry?
Answers
Nowadays, ageism is so prevalent that even Intel, a technology company, had laid off eight older workers in 2015. Ageism mainly occurs in IT; because people believe that seniors cannot comprehend the technology and that young people have a better understanding of these things. This false belief may result in losing IT professionals, and consequently, career decline. Significantly, many IT professionals are getting close to retirement, affecting this discrimination.
As David Miklas, the attorney of management, labour, and employment, says, many startups tend to employ younger workers, which is more accurate in the tech industry. He also mentions the wrong conceptions about seniors being afraid to learn new things about technology. Many employers fire or don’t hire older workers with this belief in mind.
Ageism is likely to be a problem in many industries. But I do realize that age discrimination might be more frequent in tech. There is no reason to get discouraged, though. You still have the law on your side, and there are still employers who value skills above age. The only way to overcome ageism for someone like you is to become a good developer. So if you want to start getting into this field, I suggest trying your best.
Ageism is common in most industries when it comes to employment. Most companies and start-ups have a frown over older and most experienced people. They often rather have young people as employees who work at a high rate with regular salaries. It got harder and harder and more painful to find a job as I aged.
It shouldn’t be. But be prepared for it as the IT industry is filled with an arrogant young generation. The point is you should sit home and do nothing if you’re concerned about ageism because it’s everywhere, especially during employment, and we need to raise awareness to fight against it. I think you should go for it with no shame and concern. If anything happens, there are tons of other places.
