Does generative AI level the playing field between a junior and an intermediate developer? Or does experience matter more than ever? The conversation around AI in software development is often focused on extremes. Some worry it will make developer roles obsolete, while others see it as a magic tool that can turn a beginner into a 10x engineer overnight. The reality, as always, is somewhere in the middle.
To get a real-world perspective, we sat down with two Nashville Software School (NSS) graduates now working together at Purity Health: Ripal Patel, an alum of Web Development Evening Cohort 8 and developer with five years of experience, and Drew Goodman, a 2024 graduate from Web Development Cohort 70. They share their perspectives on climbing the agentic AI learning curve, from their initial fears about AI to how it's already changing their daily workflows
Their discussion is a follow-up to our recent episode with Purity’s technical leadership team, Fletcher and David.
Despite being at different stages in their careers as developers, Ripal and Drew recently went through the same continuing education class: Introduction to Agentic AI for Developers, our new course that gives hands-on experience using agentic AI tools in real-world coding environments.
🎧 Listen to the full episode with Ripal and Drew.
Both Drew and Ripal admitted that the rapid rise of AI initially created concern for the future of their careers. Ripal remembers thinking, “Oh my God, my job is at risk.” Drew, just finishing bootcamp as AI tools were exploding in popularity, was concerned he was entering “a dying industry.”
Taking the Agentic AI class reframed both of their perspectives. As Ripal put it, “It’s really not taking my job. It’s a tool that helps me be more productive and do things faster.”
Drew quickly realized that AI can accelerate progress, but it also amplifies mistakes. “You can use new tools, and it kind of levels the playing field in that way, but it’s not a substitute for experience. I have all this power now to develop code more quickly, which also gives me the power to screw things up on a much bigger scale.”
He’s learned a lot by observing how senior teammates communicate with AI systems. “Seeing how they talk to the AI and keep a leash on it—that’s something I’ve really tried to keep in mind.”
For Ripal, years of experience shape how she prompts and reviews AI output. “When I’m looking through the code the AI generates, I can move faster—but I still catch things and say, ‘This isn’t how I want it.’ My time is now spent less on writing and more on reviewing [the code AI generates].”
The learning never stops for developers, and that's a mindset NSS works to instill in every student. As they build a new application at Purity Health, Ripal and Drew have discovered that AI isn’t a shortcut—it’s a new way to practice the same habits that made them successful developers in the first place.
AI has given Ripal and Drew a new way to grow their skills, not replace them.
Listen to the episode on YouTube, Soundcloud or wherever you get your podcasts.
The Introduction to Agentic AI for Developers course that Ripal and Drew completed is currently offered under ProTech, which provides free training to qualified applicants, including tech professionals who have been laid off and looking to acquire new skills to help them restart their careers and recent graduates of other skills credentialing programs.
We anticipate opening this class to the public and more employers in 2026.
If you’re ready to start your tech journey, explore our full stack Software Development Bootcamps (full-time or part-time).
02:08 - Meet Ripal: From Healthcare to Software Development
05:18 - Ripal's Initial Hesitation About AI
08:02 - Meet Drew: From Finance to a New Career in Tech
09:41 - Drew's Experience in a Slower Job Market
14:46 - Ripal's View: Did Experience Help in the AI Class?
18:10 - Drew's View: AI, Experience, and the Power to 'Screw Things Up'
19:37 - Aha Moment: 'It's Not Gonna Take My Job'
22:09 - How AI Changes the Developer Workflow: More Time Reviewing
23:41 - How AI Helps Junior Devs: More Time for System-Level Learning
26:09 - Key Mental Skill for AI: Breaking Down Big Tasks
30:33 - How is AI Different from Stack Overflow for Learning?
33:35 - Using AI to Learn a New Tech Stack on the Fly
36:04 - Workflow Breakdown: Agentic Mode vs. Ask Mode
40:29 - Using Guardrails and Instructions to Keep AI Consistent
44:53 - The NSS Mindset: 'Learning How to Learn'
46:41 - Advice for Experienced, Hesitant Developers
47:38 - Advice for Junior Developers Using AI
49:41 - Recommended Resources
52:07 - Tech Guilty Pleasures
Agentic AI Tools
Community & Learning Resources