If you’re trying to break into data right now, you probably feel like you’re pretty late to the party.

It feels like the "Golden Age" is over. The few jobs left are way too competitive. And AI is supposedly going to replace us all by the end of the year.

If you feel this way, I don’t blame you. But I’ve been looking at the raw numbers, and they tell a very different story.

We aren't watching the "end" of the data market. We're watching a big reset in data jobs.

Companies are fixing the broken foundation

For the last decade, we were obsessed with "Data Science." It was the "sexiest job of the 21st century."

Companies hired thousands of scientists to build cool ML models, but there was a massive problem: The data was a total mess.

It was like trying to build a billion-dollar mansion on top of a swamp. The projects failed because the foundation was weak.

That’s why you’re seeing Data Engineering roles explode right now (up 49% in last 3 years).

Companies are finally going back to fix the foundation. They're cleaning up the foundation mess so AI and analytics can actually work.

But don't let the "Engineering" hype scare you

You might see that 49% growth and think,"Great, so I have to be a data engineer now?"

Nope.

Even though engineering is growing fast, there are still a lot of analyst jobs. There are 51,000 open Data Analyst jobs on LinkedIn right now. Compare that to 25,000 for Engineers and only 13,000 for Scientists.

The Analysts are still the MVPs of the job market. The only difference is where those jobs are hiding.

The real jobs aren't where you think they are

The reason most people feel stuck is because they only look at Big Tech. They see Meta or Intel doing layoffs and think the whole industry is cooked.

But the "Great Reset" means data jobs are moving to the thousands "boring" companies that make up the majority of jobs.

The top 10 companies hiring analysts right now aren't Apple or Google. They are:

• Consulting giants: Accenture, Deloitte, McKinsey.

• Big Banks: Citi, American Express, Capital One.

These companies do not make flashy headlines. But they are hiring people to help them make better decisions in a tight economy.

Why AI isn't taking your seat (yet)

I know what you're thinking:"Okay, the jobs are there, but won't AI just do the work?"

And I don’t think so. AI is just a new tool. Did mathematicians think their jobs were over when Excel was invented 40 years ago? Little did they know, their field would become part of “the sexiest jobs ever.”

I tried using AI exclusively to make a chart for my latest YouTube video.

I asked the AI to get real stock data for ExxonMobil and Meta. It told me it did it. It showed me a beautiful graph.

Then I checked the numbers. The AI had totally made them up.

It lied to my face with total confidence. It took me three hours of manual work to fix the "shortcuts" the AI took.

That is why you are safe. AI is a helpful tool, but it can't run the show. It hallucinates. It ignores context. It doesn't understand "why" numbers matter. It can’t connect the numbers to the business.

Here's what this all means for you

The market is not dying. It is maturing.

1. The foundation is being built (Data Engineering).

2. The volume is still there (51,000 Analyst roles).

3. The "boring" companies are hiring (Finance/Consulting).

4. The AI still needs an orchestrator (You).

If you have a solid foundation and you're willing to look outside of Silicon Valley, you aren't "cooked." You’re actually right on time.

Stay gritty.

Avery

PS: If you want to see the actual charts and raw data I used to find these numbers, I broke it all down in my latest deep dive here.