Podcast: How Will We Train Developers If AI Does the Routine Work: A Conversation with Scott Hanselman
AI agents are doing the work junior developers learned on. How do you train the next generation?
Why it matters
As AI agents take over routine coding tasks, the software industry faces a workforce pipeline problem. Scott Hanselman argues for adopting a preceptorship model from nursing — pairing juniors with experienced engineers for mentorship rather than task-based learning.
The key facts
8 to knowScott Hanselman proposes preceptorship model for developer training
Junior developers traditionally learned via routine tasks now handled by AI agents
Software industry facing developer training and pipeline challenges due to AI automation
Nursing profession's preceptorship model cited as potential solution
Scott Hanselman proposes preceptorship model (nursing-style mentorship) as alternative to traditional junior developer apprenticeship
AI agents displacing routine coding work that historically trained junior developers
Software industry workforce/training model under pressure from AI automation
Published September 2026 — near-future context on AI adoption at work
Go to the source
InfoQ AI/MLinfoq.com
Publisher excerpt: In this podcast, Michael Stiefel spoke to Scott Hanselman about developing new software engineers when artificial intelligence agents are doing most of the work on which junior developers were trained. Hanselman suggests the software industry should adopt a preceptorship model similar to the…