JOBS -A.I.- JOGS : PRECIS

RECENT demand for junior software engineers, defined as those with three years experience or less, has been weak.

But it is still early to pin down how much A.I. is contributing to the hiring softness, labor market analysts say.

Some job-training programs are moving to adapt to the A.I. coding era. Per Scholas, an American nonprofit that prepares lower-income workers for careers in technology, overhauled its curriculum last year.

The training program - a mix of online and in-person instruction - now offers an '' A.I. fundamentals '' course.

Then, after the software engineering students learn all the basics of programming, they get  hands-on experience using an assistant to write software applications.

Ismail FoFana is one of those students, now part of a six-month program of coursework at Per Scholas followed by a year long apprenticeship run by PeopleShores, a job training organization, in partnership with Accenture, the technology services and consulting firm.

Mr. FoFana, a former restaurant manager, said his training so far had made him consider A.I. '' definitely more friend than foe.''

The World Students Society thanks Steve Lohr.