A functioning quality assurance testing will help build quality into any product. Every successful project heavily depends on avoiding every margin of error during the execution stage. This can also be said for the success of every software product. Basic errors and defects can affect the quality of a software product which can then lead to expensive financial implications.
To avoid this; Quality Assurance testing was introduced to combat this potential challenge. Companies around the world now hire Quality Assurance (QA) Engineers to help test products for defects in order to ensure products come out in high quality to meet customer demands.
Product designers and software developers also rely on QA engineers to test their products. This is to help find bugs and defects that might cause problems. Based on teachings from QA online training, the quality of a product matters if you want to get the best out of it.
To ensure that a product follows the set requirements, QA testing is needed. It is an essential process that will help companies beat market competitors and gain the trust of customers.
That said, the burning question now is; are QA engineers still needed in 2025?
But before then, it is essential to know the role of QA Engineers.
Why QA Engineers Are Still Needed
1. Automation Needs Human Oversight
Automated testing tools are widely used today, but automation is not a silver bullet. While automation helps in executing repetitive test cases quickly, it cannot understand the user experience, complex workflows, or edge cases that human testers can identify. QA engineers provide the critical thinking and domain expertise needed to guide and validate automated test strategies.
2. User Experience is a Priority
In 2025, software isn’t just about functionality—it’s about user experience. QA engineers ensure the software is not only bug-free but also user-friendly, accessible, and efficient. They conduct usability testing, accessibility compliance, and cross-platform testing—areas where automation tools still fall short.
3. Quality is a Team Sport
The quality mindset has shifted from “QA’s responsibility” to a shared team responsibility. However, QA engineers bring unique skills that enhance this team effort. They guide teams on best testing practices, implement quality gates in CI/CD pipelines, and ensure test coverage is adequate across all layers of the application.
4. Regulatory and Compliance Testing
In industries like finance, healthcare, and aviation, regulatory compliance is non-negotiable. QA engineers ensure software meets strict regulatory standards (e.g., HIPAA, GDPR, ISO). This involves rigorous testing documentation, traceability matrices, and validation protocols—tasks that require human insight and precision.
The Changing Role of QA Engineers
To remain indispensable, QA engineers have had to evolve. Here are some of the key transformations shaping the QA role:
1. From Manual Tester to SDET (Software Development Engineer in Test)
Many QA roles have transitioned into SDET roles. These professionals possess strong coding skills and can create automated tests for APIs, UI, and performance. They work alongside developers to build testable systems from the ground up and integrate automated tests into the CI/CD pipeline.
2. AI-Augmented QA
With the growth of AI tools, QA engineers are now AI-augmented testers. AI helps in test case generation, defect prediction, visual testing, and self-healing tests. QA engineers still define the rules, provide data for training models, and validate AI recommendations. Rather than replacing QA roles, AI enhances productivity.
3. Shift-Left and Shift-Right Testing
QA in 2025 embraces both Shift-Left (testing early in the development cycle) and Shift-Right (testing in production). QA engineers help write unit and integration tests during development while also implementing synthetic monitoring, chaos testing, and real-user monitoring post-deployment.
4. DevOps and QA Integration
The integration of QA into DevOps practices has given rise to QualityOps. QA engineers in DevOps teams configure testing pipelines, define quality metrics, and manage test environments as code. They also ensure that testing keeps pace with rapid deployment cycles.
The Role of QA Engineers
It is necessary to understand the role of Quality Assurance (QA) Engineers and what part they play in quality assurance testing. Quality assurance engineers influence how software products are developed and tested. This is to ensure software products are properly built from scratch during the development process and also tested for quality at the end of the production cycle.
In essence, a QA Engineer is a professional who is responsible for the final quality of software products. You will get an in-depth breakdown of the role of QA Engineers during a QA online training program. Some of the main roles of a QA Engineer include;
- Testing products through the development process
- Writing test cases at the end of a production cycle
- Testing final software products for bugs and fixes etc.
NOTE: The job description of a QA Engineer differs depending on the company involved.
Now, let’s analyze if the services of QA Engineers are still needed in this current time.
The services of QA Engineers are still needed due to the following factors;
QA Engineers Contribute to Software Development Life Cycle
QA Engineers perform an important role in the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) of a product. This is a quality assurance testing cycle where QA Engineers conduct tests in stages.
Stage 1: They gather details to determine the approach to QA on a given project
Stage 2: They validate the QA process by verifying the requirements of a planned feature
Stage 3: They write test cases in form of user stories to determine how the software will behave
Stage 4: They carry out manual testing on developed features by executing the test cases
Stage 5: They oversee test automation on software products
QA Engineers Provide Insights into the Quality of Products
The goal of every tech company is to provide software products that are of high quality. This will not only help them beat market competitors, but it will also help them secure a good reputation.
QA Engineers still get hired by companies because they’ll help provide insights on whether a product is ready for consumption. This means they will analyze risk factors associated with a particular product to ensure they’re addressed. Once that is sorted, they can then assure the company that their product is good enough to meet customer expectations.
You can gain more insight on this if you register for QA Certification Training online.
QA Engineers Help Companies Save Money
Companies can save a lot of money if they employ QA Engineers. The reason is this;
Clients can take legal actions against companies if the quality of the product they paid for is not up to the standards they were expecting. So, the presence of QA Engineers in a company will ensure this problem is avoided at all costs. The cost of repairing defects in products that have been launched into the market can be prevented with the services of QA Engineers.
QA Engineers Align Duties Within Software Development Teams
The importance of proper alignment of duties within a software development team can not be overemphasized. During projects, QA Engineers assign roles to different team members. This will ensure all test functionalities are properly carried out without negligence.
So, we can say QA Engineers oversee the division of labor within a development team. This will help save time and energy spent on executing projects. It will also make the quality of software products gain the appropriate attention. You can learn more about the need for QA Engineers through several QA Online Training programs.
Conclusion
Every company that deals with product development needs the services of a QA Engineer. Companies can not compromise on the quality of their products if they want to beat market competitors and also meet clients’ expectations. Due to this reason, the services of QA Engineers will always be needed now and in years to come. You can become a certified QA Engineer by enrolling in QA Certification Training online.
