The Technical Managers of Iranian Hosting Firms Believe that one of the Main Challenges Programmers Face in Iran is Access to Unrestricted Internet. In their view, many programmers considering emigration encounter problems such as internet conditions, legal restrictions, and a lack of support for startups.
According to IDEA, a panel titled ‘The Current Status of Iranian Programmers’ was held on the occasion of Programmer’s Day, during a joint event of ‘CS50 Iran’ and the ‘I am a Programmer’ campaign.
Mohsen Alizadeh, the Technical Director of HostIran, pointed out one of the main issues facing Iranian programmers is the lack of access to unrestricted internet and the absence of the necessary infrastructure for quality work. Reza Defaei, the Technical Director of Boghrat, added: ‘One of the first problems programmers face in their lives is when they turn on their laptop and start coding. After a while, they may encounter a program with 7-8 errors and 10 warnings.’
He also mentioned that another challenge in this field is access to resources due to the current internet conditions. He said, ‘Given the internet conditions we have, most of our time is wasted on connecting to the global system and adhering to its standards. We need to spend a lot of time to use these systems. Perhaps the biggest problem is access to unrestricted internet.’
Ali Lashani, the Technical Director of Elanus, considered, besides internet-related issues, English language proficiency and soft skills to be among the primary challenges in programming. He said, ‘In our team, we had people who couldn’t progress due to soft skills, even though they were very intelligent and had great opportunities. The most important challenge in this field is communication skills with employers and English proficiency.’
The Future Lies in Artificial Intelligence
Furthermore, during the panel, the challenges that programmers will face in the future were discussed, with a focus on artificial intelligence (AI). The Technical Director of Boghrat believed that not only programmers but also many other professionals should be concerned about AI. According to him, now is the best time to use AI to make programmers stronger and advance in the job market. He said, ‘Programming assisted by artificial intelligence is much stronger than programming without it. Amateur programmers will have a harder time in the job market because the work that chatbots, GPS, and everything else that is emerging can do may replace entry-level programmers. However, if we move toward slightly more complex topics, AI still has a long way to go before it can replace humans.’
Mohsen Alizadeh also believed that the future undoubtedly belongs to AI, and programmers need to use it to stay relevant in the job market. He thought that programming would never disappear, but programmers should keep themselves up-to-date to maintain their position in the job market.
Artificial Intelligence is the Sewing Machine in the Software Industry
The Technical Director of Elanos added more to the discussion about AI and its place. He said, ‘AI is like a sewing machine in the software industry. When the sewing machine was invented, tailors were worried that they would become unemployed. However, a paradigm shift and fundamental change occurred. AI, which is in its early stages, will also bring about the same change in software and hardware, and we will see larger and more interesting software. Naturally, smaller software will gradually disappear and become pre-produced. Software developers will also be eliminated and will need to be creative to get help from AI, regardless of whether they use it or not.
Making Mistakes in Your 20s and 30s is the Right Time
Continuing this panel, the discussion turned to the skills required for a programmer to become a professional. Mohsen Alizadeh, the Technical Director of HostIran, advised programmers to focus on a specific area, saying, ‘Having your knowledge spread as thin as a centimeter-deep ocean is one of the challenges we have seen a lot in recent years, especially in Iran. Many people list various skills on their resumes, each with a small amount of knowledge. But I suggest choosing at least one area and sticking to it. Making mistakes in your 20s and 30s is the right time, but in those mistakes, people gradually find their way and return to the right path.’
The Technical Director of Boghrat also added, ‘The most important thing in programming is problem-solving.’ In his view, it is not necessary to go to university or complete a specific course to become a programmer. If programmers can excel in solving mathematical problems, they will become strong in their profession.
In the end, all three speakers assessed the future of programming in Iran. Defaei commented on the job market in this field in Iran, saying, ‘I see the next 3-4 years very positively for Iran. The job market in Iran will be excellent. The reason is the high rate of immigration, and there will be relatively less competition.
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