Why is the profession of QA Engineer currently relevant?

In this article, we will explain why the QA profession remains relevant in 2026 and share useful courses and videos for learning.

The role of the tester has changed

In the past, testers performed manual testing and logged found bugs. This was important but had a local scope: tests were run after feature implementation, and the main effort focused on detecting obvious errors in the interface.

In 2026, this model is hardly effective: development cycles have become faster, applications are more complex, and requirements are flexible. QA Engineers now:

— participate in requirements analysis and test design
— automate testing to integrate checks into CI/CD processes
— work with API tests, integration scenarios, and error-handling algorithms
— interact with developers during the feature design phase, not only after implementation.

Why the profession is in high demand now

1. Intensive use of AI in development

Modern testing tools include AI capabilities for generating scenarios, analyzing failures, and automatically updating tests, but humans are still needed for quality control and result evaluation.

QA Engineers who understand when to trust AI tools and when not to gain an advantage in the job market.

2. Test automation is a standard, not an option

Manual testing remains part of the job, but the scope of tasks has expanded: from simple UI checks to API automation and integration scenarios, which detect issues at the server or component interaction level faster.

3. Integration with DevOps and CI/CD

QA Engineers actively work with DevOps teams and participate in the entire development cycle. They configure automatic builds, run tests within CI/CD pipelines, and help optimize the release process. This approach allows detecting errors at early stages, reducing the number of bugs in production, and accelerating the release of new product versions.

4. Soft skills and communication

QA has become important not only technically but also socially: quality engineers need to clearly communicate issues, explain risks, and work in cross-functional teams, including developers, product managers, and designers.

What skills are needed for a QA Engineer in 2026

Modern QA Engineers use both technical and soft skills:

1. Basic use of AI tools — understanding their capabilities and limitations, and the ability to effectively use generative testing.

2. Programming. Python or JavaScript — in demand for writing automated tests and integrating with CI/CD.

3. Modern testing frameworks — such as Playwright or Cypress, as well as traditional tools like Selenium.

4. API testing and working with tools like Postman — critical for the stability of server-side logic.

5. Communication and collaboration — testers must be able to explain bugs, test strategies, and risks.

Useful resources for testing and QA

Whether you are starting from scratch or already have some experience, the right online courses and resources will help you quickly navigate the QA world and understand key software development processes.

Free courses:
— Software Testing Fundamentals
— Free Software Testing: Course Simplilearn,
— Manual Software Testing

YouTube channels:
— Software Testing Mentor
— Guru99
— QA Madness