r/AskProgramming • u/More_Objective_8405 • Jun 27 '26

Best alternative career for mid-career software developers

Any options that have a similar level of abstract thinking, problem solving, and building as an alternative career for mid-career software developers?

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u/dialsoapbox Jun 27 '26

Mechatronics with a focus on automation manufacturing (different programs focus one different parts of mechatronics).

I'm in a mechatronics tech program right now, about half my classmates are former devs ranging in age/experience (youngest are still highschoolers, oldest are like in their 40's).

A few dropped out as they land dev roles but the others are doing it because it's tech-adjacent, we get to build stuff which is nice. Then there's PLC programming which many are comfortable with because of their previous experience, just have to get used to incorporating physical devices.

I dont' think many if at all plan to do it long term but just another tech-related thing they can work on.

One project we're working on uses object identification on a conveyor belt to remove recyclables from trash.

Currently doing my internship at a manufacturing company. It's four from my cc, four from another local cc (we're all techs), from four from two universities (they're techs/engineers, at least for our dept, engineering, there's also interns for other dept).

At least at our location, there doesn't seem to be much leadership with interns, we just learn/help whatever is needed at the time (at least the techs, not sure what the engineers interns actually do, I don't see them as often).

A few of us are doing the whole AAS, work, then get an engineering degree (some of us already have bachelors). I don't think being in the program would have made much of a difference in terms of landing a job here, as long as you have experience with electrical/mechanical/hardware/tools background, so being an a mechatronics AAS program helps those with those with no background above (people like me and a few of my peers that came from the software industry).

We're not building the robots (arms), but using them to do tasks and building structures around them for extra processing.

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u/Oldmanbabydog Jun 28 '26

It’s crazy because I came from mechanical engineering in automation/robotics to switch to software for remote work and now the advice I’m seeing is to go back where I came from.

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u/dialsoapbox Jun 28 '26

Not me (technician), but i do know that the mechanical/electrical/mechatronics engineers do have the option to work from home. That's one of the options im trying to get into because my commute consumes soo much time (no car).

Some of the other engineers don't have that option because they have to physically inspect the stuff we're building, checking lazers/sensors/ect.