Carreiras de profissionais que trabalham com a programação de softwares no setor privado em Belo Horizonte – MG

Abstract

From the 1990s onwards, changes occurred in society that transformed the labor market and, consequently, career paths. This period was marked by the emergence of digital or virtual jobs, present in the online environment. With the widespread use of digital devices, such as computers and cell phones, professionals responsible for developing and programming the operating systems of these devices began to be increasingly in demand. However, even though the role of programmers has expanded with the increasing use of technology and the internet in everyday life, little is understood about the career paths of these professionals. Thus, this study sought to answer the following research problem: how do the careers of professionals linked to software programming develop, considering that this field has grown so significantly? The overall objective that guided the research was: to understand the career paths of professionals who work directly with software programming in the city of Belo Horizonte - MG. The theoretical basis of the research contextualizes the field of career studies, presenting the construction of the field and the main identified issues. In addition, it presents concepts about digital careers in the field of Information Technology, focusing on programming and programmers. The methodological procedures were guided by the qualitative approach, and the research is characterized as descriptive and explanatory. The research participants were individuals who work directly with website and software programming. For data collection, a semi-structured interview was conducted, as well as the application of a socio-demographic questionnaire. To reach research participants, the snowball technique was used, and the saturation point was used to define the number of participants. The collected data were analyzed using thematic content analysis, following the steps proposed by Bardin (2011). It was found that the profile of professionals consists mostly of males, aged between 18 and 36 years old, receiving between 2 and 6 minimum wages, working remotely or in a hybrid manner, and graduated or enrolled in technological courses. The most considered objective components by professionals are better remuneration and promotions. The most considered subjective components are identification and affinity with their jobs, personal satisfaction, and the ability to make transitions. In addition, it was also discovered that professionals identify with a hybrid career model, blending the traditional model and the protean model. Moreover, it was discussed that programmers' future prospects regarding their own careers are professional growth both within and outside the companies they work for, and the prospect of whether or not they will hold leadership positions in the future. Finally, this work also provides suggestions for future research.