> However, throwing each person in a bootcamp telling them "coding is wonderful! you can master it in 5 seconds

I am not sure if you read the article? The point is that age isn't a barrier but that becoming a software engineer is a lot harder than just going to a bootcamp and expecting a job to appear. This is about spending a year trying to find a job.

I have zero problem being compared to a plumber with a plunger! If something breaks in the middle of the night, I get paged, grab my mop and my tools, and fix it.

Why does it matter if the average plumber "can't fix your house"?

The pay is good because of supply and demand but I really do not know programmers who decided to get into it for money.