What does a Software Engineer actually do?

The short version

Software engineers design, build and maintain the systems everything runs on. In 2026 the job is less "write code" and more "supervise the AI that writes it" — which changes who gets hired, not whether engineers are needed.

The pitch: still one of the best-paid, most flexible careers going, with multiple routes in (degree, apprenticeship, bootcamp, self-taught). The catch: entry hiring has contracted because AI does the junior tickets, so the bar is higher than it was — and the job requires constant learning, not a fixed skill.

Entry routes that actually work

• CS degree + internship — the safest route into graduate schemes.
• Degree apprenticeship — earn while you train at a sponsor employer.
• Bootcamp / self-taught — still works, but a strong portfolio matters more than certificates now.