Same reason big tech companies are so desperately funding "learn to code" programs, especially in high school.

Don't think for a second that the software engineering gravy train won't come to a screeching end as soon as supply catches up with demand.

I wouldn't even be surprised if us SE's eventually try to heavily license and gatekeep the industry like law and medicine, loading new workers up with 6 figures of debt and significant post bachelors requirements, in order to keep our salaries artificially high. Medicine in the US seems to be especially damaged by this.