It might not be lack of initiative; It might be just the old fashioned mindset that companies are a lifelong partner in your career and retirement. After all,

It might not be lack of initiative; It might be just the old fashioned mindset that companies are a lifelong partner in your career and retirement. After all, if not ever true, it was true enough to be a successful strategy for a generation of people. Those with pension funds intact did ok. There was no final warning bell for everyone that from here on out you are 100% responsible for maintaining a skill set. It was so gradual it could have (and was by a lot of people) been missed. I think the lesson is broader that passion for writing code. With equal intelligence and resources anyone will likely be crushed by someone with more motivation. How many scientists did great things because of insane drive bordering on or crossing into obsession? To me the lesson is there is not one simplistic goal (learn coding, get a degree, etc) that will bring you success in life, monetary or otherwise. We have to be diligent through our lives because not only are the rules elusive, they're likely changing as we learn them.