Graduate jobs, apprenticeships, internships, and junior roles now make up just 25% of the UK job market, a significant drop from 28.9% in 2022, according to recent research by Adzuna. This decline coincides with the launch of ChatGPT in November 2022, suggesting a potential link between AI advancements and the shrinking availability of entry-level positions.
Indeed's Mid-Year Labour Market Update further highlights the challenges facing graduates, noting a 33% decrease in graduate roles compared to last year, marking the toughest job market since 2018. However, experts like Stephen Isherwood argue that economic factors, including a flat economy and increased national insurance contributions, play a more significant role than AI in this trend.
Despite this, Jack Kennedy, a senior economist at Indeed, emphasizes the need for HR teams to redesign entry-level jobs to include meaningful tasks, development opportunities, and exposure to new technologies like GenAI. Karie Willyerd of Skillable adds that future job descriptions will likely assume AI capability as a fundamental skill, making it essential for HR to assess candidates' ability to work alongside AI.
Anastasia Pshegodskaya from Remote suggests transforming entry-level roles into foundational development opportunities that combine AI-enabled tasks with real-world problem solving. Meanwhile, Lynne Peabody of the EY Foundation warns against unintended biases in AI-based recruitment processes, advocating for the involvement of young people from marginalized communities in these developments.
Raoul Gabriel-Urma of Cambridge Spark concludes by highlighting the importance of nurturing entry-level employees as future C-suite leaders, especially in an AI-powered workplace.
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