Udemezue John
I’ve noticed more people talking about how some tech skills feel oversaturated these days. It’s like there are a ton of folks learning the same things—so many that standing out can feel tough.
Still, knowing about this trend matters. It helps you choose what to learn next and how to stay unique in a crowded field.
Learning tech skills can open doors—better jobs, freedom to work from anywhere, creative projects. But when too many people pile into the same skill, it often leads to low pay, stiff competition, and feeling stuck in a sea of other learners.
Recognizing which areas are saturated gives you the chance to choose smarter paths—ones that feel fresh, promising, and more rewarding.
Here, I’ll walk through what “oversaturation” really means, why it matters, which tech skills seem crowded right now, and how to respond—so you can keep growing without getting lost in the noise.
The Rise of Oversaturation: What’s Happening
Tech learning has gone mainstream
Learning tech used to be tough—college courses, coding bootcamps with long waits. Now, thousands of people learn programming online every month, thanks to affordable courses and free resources.
A report shows over 25 million learners joined tech-related courses on a big online platform in the past year alone. That’s huge.
With more learners comes more competition
When everyone learns the same things—like basic web development or entry-level data analysis—it gets harder to stand out. Hiring managers often see hundreds of similar resumes. Simple certificates may not cut it anymore.
The pay squeeze starts
When many people supply the same skill, employers can offer lower wages. Companies might choose someone cheaper or with a free certificate because the options are there. It slowly drags average pay for freelance gigs or junior roles down.
It affects motivation and mental space
Feeling like your work blends into a sea of other similar portfolios can drain your motivation. It’s discouraging when you pour time into a skill and it doesn’t feel special anymore.
Tech Skills That Feel Oversaturated Right Now
Here are some areas where I’m seeing a lot of people, often with similar levels of experience and similar portfolios:
Front-end web development (HTML, CSS, JavaScript basics)
Tons of beginner coders build simple sites. It’s awesome to learn. But many portfolios show the same kind of project—landing pages, basic to-do lists, flicking through a “portfolio” that feels very much like everyone else’s. It makes it harder for those folks to feel distinct.
WordPress site setup and basic customization
WordPress is easy and flexible, and lots of people pick it up to build websites. Many people offer “I’ll set up your WordPress site” gigs. That market gets crowded fast, and price wars start.
Intro-level data analysis with Excel or Python
Analyzing spreadsheets or doing simple data work is useful, but many courses teach the same basics—pivot tables, charting, cleaning data with simple scripts. Many job seekers highlight similar skills in resumes.
Social media management using basic scheduling tools
Managing someone’s social media by scheduling posts in free tools is one of the easiest ways into tech work, but it’s quickly filled with folks offering similar packages at lower rates.
Standard mobile app templates or no-code solutions
Tools like build-a-clone-app platforms or drag-and-drop app builders have made creating simple apps almost trivial. That means lots of similar, cookie-cutter apps float around online.
Why It Matters
Your work risks being overlooked
If everyone looks and presents the same way, employers or clients may not notice your unique strengths.
It pressures pricing downward
In saturated markets, people often undercut each other, which can hurt everyone’s income.
You might waste time on low-impact learning
Spending hours on very basic skills that almost everyone lists may not help you move ahead.
How to Move Forward: Smarter Growth Strategies
Instead of sticking with oversaturated areas, I suggest exploring one or more of these paths:
Go deeper, not broader
If front-end basics feel cluttered, push into areas like performance optimization, accessibility, or JavaScript frameworks like Svelte or SolidJS. Those skills remain in demand but aren’t flooded yet.
Niche by industry or approach
Focus on a specific field—health-tech, ed-tech, sustainability, or financial tools. Learning how to handle data in that domain or building niche tools gives you an edge.
Blend skills in useful combinations
Pair tech with something unique—say, UX writing, design systems, DevOps, or AI prompts. A “front-end developer who also codes good UX copy” stands out.
Build projects that tell a story
Instead of building a generic to-do app, create something you care about—like a tool that tracks local community events, or a site that helps people reduce food waste. It reflects personality and shows how you think.
Stay curious about emerging tech
Areas like Web3, AR/VR, embedded systems, or ethical AI are growing. You don’t need to fully commit, but showing you’re interested in these spaces can make your profile more dynamic.
Sample Project Ideas That Feel Less Saturated
A high-accessibility website or an app that helps users with visual impairments.
A local data visualization project—maybe mapping community water quality or transportation patterns.
A small IoT project—like a plant sensor that tweets moisture levels, or a Raspberry Pi tool for something real in your day-to-day.
A design-system component library or a Figma-JS plugin that automates common design tasks.
A learning tool or interactive guide in a language you’re fluent in but isn’t served much online.
How to Learn with an Edge
| Strategy | What It Does |
|---|---|
| Follow real experts | Watch people building real-world projects—find devs or creators who explain why they did things a certain way. |
| Write about what you learned | Share your thinking or lessons in a blog or social post-thread. That helps others and shows your voice. |
| Open source or contribute | Helping or fixing code in someone else’s project teaches a different kind of edge—real collaboration. |
| Pair with non-tech skills | Even knowing how to present, explain, or manage a project can make you a better developer or designer. |
| Keep refining | Don’t aim for perfection right away. First draft, polish, get feedback, repeat. That’s how unique portfolios emerge. |
FAQs
Does this mean I should drop basic skills entirely?
No. Basics lay the foundation. But instead of stopping there, build on them. The strong basics plus something special—like speed, a niche, or design insight—make your work stand out.
How do I know what’s oversaturated in my area?
Browse job boards or gig platforms. See how many people offer the same thing and how they price it. Look at portfolios—if they all look alike, that’s a sign.
I’m a beginner—what should I focus on first?
Get the fundamentals solid—HTML, CSS, JavaScript, or Excel fundamentals. Once you’re confident, pick one extra layer—maybe a framework, or a domain like accessibility, performance, or integration with APIs.
What if I don’t know what niche to pick?
Think about things you care about. Could be hobbies, causes, local problems, or side-projects you wish existed. That’s a good place to start.
Are there stats or data to show saturation?
Reports show massive growth in people learning basic web development and data skills—for example, millions enrolled in JavaScript or Python courses last year.
Conclusion
It’s great that so many people are learning tech—it opens doors. But as more of us pile into the same basic skills, standing out gets tougher.
I’ve found that leaning into deeper knowledge, blending skills in fresh ways, picking meaningful projects, and showcasing personality—those make all the difference. You don’t need to chase the latest trend.
Sometimes the best route is making something that matters to you, grown from a unique angle. So, what’s one small way you could take a familiar skill and make it feel fresh and yours?
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