The announced material contains an independent review of the current state and future prospects for the development of the IT industry, as well as an analysis of how university education is adapting to changes in the digital world. The focus is on existing IT specialties, key differences between them, and criteria for rationally choosing a direction for training. The article is based on a meaningful conversation with Alexey Alexandrovich Vodka, Head of the Department of Mathematical Modeling and Intelligent Computing in Engineering, and Alexey Alexandrovich Larin, Director of the Institute of Computer Modeling, Applied Physics and Mathematics. The presented analysis will become a valuable reference for those interested in IT education and planning a future in the technological field.