AI/ML Engineer path - The Harsh Truth

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"companies just throw terms around." The most important sentence for any applicant to understand for almost any job.

I hold a Master’s in AI. I struggled to find an internship to complete my degree. I have been working for 6 months and most of the jobs in Canada required 3+ years of experience. It’s like there are almost no junior roles. Edit: I got hired where I did my internship. After months of hard work, my manager found that my work was outstanding and supported me until they agreed to hire me. What a great woman!

Following the current inflation rate, FIRE and Retirement plans should be out of the options with seasonal job layoffs included! at this point having a job doesn't mean security rather people should join a business trade and build more streams.

Job descriptions are a joke

Jean, I am a Mechanical engineer by degree. You said it right, getting your foot inside is really important. I recently joined an IT industry where they are using ML to automate mechanical simulations. In my team, they only do it manually. I need to shift to the ML/Automation team because that is my passion wholeheartedly. I talked with the manager as it's been only 15 days since I joined the project. I am planning to do Masters in AI/ML. Your video gave lot of interesting insights. Tysm.

AI is all that Wall Street can talk about. Every company is supposedly investing in AI. So why is it so hard for people to find jobs in AI?

You're right. Here's how I did this. Got a job on the lowest rung of a tech company in basic support. Then started learning data science...learning grew, curiosity on how to fix things grew, did projects at the company to solve problems...Basically, you're paying yourself to learn in a way. The first step is what is counter-intuitive...which most people want to skip.

I think you are right, but the confusion level on job postings is not just limited to ML/Ai. I see the same pattern of confusion postings on the rest of IT: from NOCs to Sys Admins to Net Engineers. Clarity on the hiring end would definitely assist in hiring process and employee retention.

I am a retired "Information and Computer Scientist" (It says that on my diploma). In over 42 years I have been a Compiler Writer to a Space Flight Software tester (think SLS) with side trip into Systems Engineering. I liked what she said. You need one or more degrees with experience. I was Co-Op in school which was help. I always treated AI a side interest but kept my day job. I have lived through the AI Summer-Winter cycles in 1970's and 1980's. So I saw those AI PhDs get jobs and then get laid off. Don't put all your hopes in being an AI only person. Each time I see a report of another AI Hallucination, I feel the cold chill of winds of another AI Winter.

One of the best videos...whatever you said is 100% true...because now-a-days there are many YouTube channels, courses and other bootcamps who claim that one can learn AI and get a job right away

Thanks so much for this! I had a feeling this was the case. That being said I’ve been in a bootcamp during the summer and now a fellowship but I got a job during this fellowship and I definitely feel leaving early and learning on the job is the best decision for me. I had so many positions in the past that I got my foot in the door but never monopolized on the opportunity to grow at those companies.

Fantastic video .. exactly my thoughts at the moment, trying get into AI after being a full stack for more than a decade

Never go to school to get a job and don’t expect to be employed in the field you went to school for. The world is changing so quickly that it’s just not predictable. Go to school for the business that you want to create.

Thanks! Very useful and realistic advice. As a self-taught developer, I am getting ready to land a job as a web dev, get some experience, and then try to move to ML. I think this makes more sense than trying to enter a market with such complexity as ML.

You know what? Job hunting is not worth my mental health. I'm sick of never being 'good enough' in the eyes of employers and if I die having never landed a job in AI or ML then so be it. I don't care.

Very pleased you took the hard path of sharing a hard truth. I could safely say we would never hire anyone who just took a few courses, boot camps, or certifications; they would expect pretty much what you showed - a master's degree at a minimum, a very strong math background, and significant industry experience. So many phenomenal graduates from solid programs, why would they settle for less than that? They wont. Better for aspiring engineers to find out what employers will want to see than investing a lot of money in skills or certifications that just won't be competitive.

I can totally resonate with Jean; it's challenging to secure AI/ML positions in 2023, even with experience from major tech companies. If someone is considering a career in AI, pursuing a Master's degree can expedite the job search process. I, personally, transitioned to a career in Rust software engineering after facing difficulties in finding opportunities in the machine learning field.

I love hearing the harsh truth from your explanation. Very rational and arggumentative

I’m glad I don’t have to worry about finding a job and can just move up my company instead. It’s so much easier and faster process than browsing for jobs and getting rejected in every corner, even for the basic jobs you are describing as getting your foot in the door.