I often tell people that being an engineer in certain fields (like software) can be very much like being a supermodel. Not one of them will reach fifty and stay in the Victoria's Secret catalog. In fact, when it comes to VS, 30-something and you are pushing it.
Is this wise? (back to CS now, not VS). Nope. People should be hired based on what they are able to do. What they can contribute to the company's mission. Often-times a more experienced developer just knows the path to a solution, if I may say, instinctively. And, yes, it is about making a bunch of mistakes and learning from them.
This, in my eyes at least, is no different than gender discrimination which also exists in CS.
Does bias exist? Absolutely.
I often tell people that being an engineer in certain fields (like software) can be very much like being a supermodel. Not one of them will reach fifty and stay in the Victoria's Secret catalog. In fact, when it comes to VS, 30-something and you are pushing it.
Is this wise? (back to CS now, not VS). Nope. People should be hired based on what they are able to do. What they can contribute to the company's mission. Often-times a more experienced developer just knows the path to a solution, if I may say, instinctively. And, yes, it is about making a bunch of mistakes and learning from them.
This, in my eyes at least, is no different than gender discrimination which also exists in CS.