Latest news with #entryleveljobs
Wall Street Journal
18-07-2025
- Business
- Wall Street Journal
The Cities Where College Grads Are Actually Landing Jobs
Memo to job-hunting college grads: It pays to take your search to cities just beyond America's biggest metro areas. In one of the toughest markets for entry-level jobs in years, several second-tier cities—including Raleigh, N.C.—rise above the pack for their strong hiring, decent salaries and affordability. Instead of Atlanta or Chicago, consider Birmingham, Ala., or Milwaukee. Or think Baltimore, in lieu of Washington, D.C.
Fox News
15-07-2025
- Business
- Fox News
New study reveals threats to the Class of 2025. Fixing them should be Job No. 1 for America
This summer should be bringing the Class of 2025 a moment of well-deserved relaxation before they launch their careers. Instead, far too many college and high-school graduates are filled with anxiety. They've applied for dozens, perhaps hundreds, of jobs, but interviews and offers have become increasingly rare. The national unemployment rate for young adults aged 20 to 24 looking for work is 6.6% — the highest level in a decade, excluding the pandemic unemployment spike. Among those without college degrees the situation is even more dire: The unemployment rate for high-school graduates aged 18 to 19 is 14.5%. The precipitous reduction of entry-level hiring has been blamed on tariff-induced economic uncertainty and employers betting that artificial intelligence advances will reduce labor needs. Once there is greater clarity on both fronts, many expect hiring to increase. But what if this is more than a short-term blip? A major new study by research consultancy HarrisX, funded by our family foundation, reveals that school-to-work pathways for millions of young Americans — both those with and without college degrees — are far more deeply fractured than previously known, posing a significant threat to building the future workforce essential to growing the U.S. economy. More than four in 10 young people say both the education system and the employment resources to which they have access are broken and not providing them effective guidance. And they worry employment will become even more difficult as AI impacts the job market: Nearly half said they feel unprepared, or are unsure of their preparation, for jobs of the future. The study reveals how a broad swath of Generation Z between 16 and 24 years old remains far from tapping its full potential because of systemic inertia that leaves too many young people stranded at the start of their careers. Many young people are not being adequately served by the institutions they encounter at every stage of their journey into adulthood, from high schools that do not expose students to a range of careers and non-college training pathways to achieve good jobs, to employers who are unwilling to invest in building hard and soft skills among new hires. This broken marketplace has significant consequences for the future of the U.S. economy, particularly efforts by the Trump administration to increase domestic industrial production, which will require a larger pipeline of skilled workers. Our nation has millions of open jobs — more than 7 million of them, according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The problem for the Class of 2025, and many other jobseekers, is that the skills taught in our high schools and colleges aren't aligned with what many businesses need, especially advanced manufacturers. Many of those unfilled jobs — and more so in the future — require applicants to possess more than just a high-school or college degree. Yet too many young adults lack the guidance and resources to acquire the necessary skills and credentials. Too often, adults fault young people for not demonstrating more initiative and gumption in their journey into working life. But everyone who engages with young adults is responsible: Nearly 80% of parents rely on their own dated personal experiences and input from friends and family — as opposed to outside resources — to guide their children. Eighty-five percent of educators and career navigators don't collaborate with employers. More than three-in-four employers require at least a year of experience from those seeking entry-level jobs, yet most do not offer internships, apprenticeships or other programs designed to provide early-career experience. Having been connected to a Fortune 500 company for three decades, we know well the pressure to use every dollar to grow the bottom line. But our businesses and our overall economy won't thrive over the long run if firms don't invest in creating new opportunities for workers. Our nation has millions of open jobs — more than 7 million of them, according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. One of the innovations at Starbucks of which we are most proud has nothing to do with coffee. It was the decision to offer every Starbucks barista the opportunity to launch new careers by enrolling online at Arizona State University for free. To date, more than 16,000 of them have graduated with bachelor's degrees — vaulting many into new roles inside and outside the company, with an average pay increase of $40,000 within 18 months. The alarming headline about recent graduates should bolt us out of our complacency. Too many of our systems were designed for a different era. The old model of earning a degree and staying with one employer for decades no longer fits today's dynamic workforce. The challenge now is to build a better marketplace — one that is nimble, forward-looking, and grounded in the realities of a global, tech-driven economy. That marketplace requires embracing the power of AI to help repair what it is destroying: AI-powered agents and other tech tools that can help young people navigate options with more clarity. By surfacing internships, training programs, and regionally relevant opportunities, we can meet students with the right guidance at the right time. We need more relevant insights about emerging opportunities, the value of different pathways and credentials, and labor-market disruptions. We also must embrace a fundamental change in how we all learn, from a learn-then-work model to a world of lifelong learning, hands-on skills, and fluid pathways across industries. As ASU President Michael Crow puts it, the mission of education is not to "complete" a student; it is to launch a learner for life. Only then can this generation achieve a real chance to rise and achieve a new American Dream. This is moment to build a future that delivers progress not just for the Class of 2025, but for every class after them. Sheri Kersch Schultz is co-founder and chair of the Schultz Family Foundation.
Khaleej Times
07-07-2025
- Business
- Khaleej Times
UAE: Is ChatGPT reducing entry-level jobs, junior roles for young graduates?
Hiring for entry-level jobs and junior roles is growing strong in the UAE, but young graduates in the region and globally are finding it challenging to land a job due to ChatGPT and other generative AI solutions. According to LinkedIn's Economic Graph data for April 2025, entry-level hiring in the UAE surged by 70 per cent, far outpacing the country's overall hiring rate and bucking the broader decline across the Europe, Middle East, Africa, and Latin America region (EMEAL) region, suggesting that the UAE is doubling down on investing in career starters. A study released by job search website Adzuna found that entry-level vacancies and junior roles have fallen by approximately a third since ChatGPT was launched in November 2022. With AI automating many basic jobs, young graduates are forced to improve their skills and knowledge to a more advanced level. Tasks once handled by junior paralegals or customer service agents are now routinely executed by AI tools in a fraction of the time. 'Globally, the unemployment rate for recent college graduates has risen by 30 per cent since late 2022, compared to an 18 per cent increase for the general workforce. Yet the UAE's proactive labour policies and commitment to workforce development appear to be cushioning these effects,' said Najat Abdalhadi, career expert at LinkedIn. UAE can become a model 'The challenge now is to ensure that this momentum translates into building the sustainable human skills that the world of work will always need, such as creative thinking, strategic problem-solving, and cross-functional collaboration. In doing so, the UAE could become a model for how to navigate AI disruption without sidelining the next generation of talent,' she said. Mayank Patel, senior vice-president of Adecco and head of Eastern Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EEMEA), said that though AI and automation, including tools like ChatGPT, have transformed certain job functions globally, the UAE's entry-level job landscape has more to offer. 'Thanks to economic diversification, large-scale construction, and growth in sectors like logistics, hospitality, and retail, entry-level roles in operational and service domains have remained resilient. Roles such as warehouse assistants, receptionists, and sales executives continue to grow in demand,' said Patel. 'However, we are also witnessing the evolution rather than the elimination of many support roles. Tasks traditionally done manually are now being augmented with AI tools, allowing workers to upskill and focus on more strategic activities,' he added. Challenges for new graduates Najat Abdalhadi added that entry-level tasks like basic coding, document review, and customer service are being increasingly automated, raising valid questions about long-term career progression for new graduates globally. LinkedIn's data, which identified over 500 skills likely to be affected by generative AI, shows that 96 per cent of a software engineer's skills, for example, primarily involving programming, can eventually be replicated by generative AI skills. Moderate shift Mayank Patel elaborated that there has been a moderate shift, not a decline, in how early career opportunities are structured. 'Traditional entry pathways like graduate programmes and internships are being reimagined to align with new skill demands, especially digital literacy and adaptability," he said. "Rather than reducing these openings, many employers, especially in the UAE, are increasingly investing in purpose-led programmes designed to equip junior talent with future-fit skills in areas like AI, automation, data analysis, and hybrid work environments," he added. Importantly, he noted that the UAE companies are now undertaking upskilling initiatives to support young talent, especially those without formal university degrees. The focus is on capability over credentials, empowering people through microlearning, vocational training, and career mobility programs that prepare them for evolving workplace demands. White-collar roles more impacted Adecco's senior vice-president stated that the emergence of generative AI tools like ChatGPT has primarily impacted white-collar, content-heavy roles that involve high levels of information processing and communication, such as customer support and helpdesk agents, content writers, data entry operators, etc. 'Rather than displacing these roles entirely, AI is automating repetitive tasks, allowing professionals to focus more on judgment, creativity, and human interaction,' he said, adding that human + machine collaboration is the new norm.
The Independent
30-06-2025
- Business
- The Independent
What ChatGPT has done to the availability of graduate jobs
Research indicates a significant decline in UK entry-level jobs, including graduate and apprenticeship roles, by nearly a third (31.9 per cent) since the launch of ChatGPT. Job search site Adzuna found that entry-level positions now constitute only a quarter of the total job market, marking the lowest level for graduate vacancies since the Covid-19 pandemic. This reduction is attributed to the increasing adoption of artificial intelligence for tasks previously performed by junior staff, alongside factors like rising labour costs and National Insurance contributions. An AI firm CEO, Dario Amodei, warned that AI could eliminate up to half of all entry-level jobs within five years, potentially increasing UK unemployment to 10-20 per cent. Major companies like BT and Amazon have announced plans for significant headcount reductions, with artificial intelligence expected to take over a substantial portion of the work.
Telegraph
30-06-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
Entry-level jobs in free-fall after launch of ChatGPT
Entry-level jobs are in free-fall as the rise of AI chatbots such as ChatGPT causes low-paying and graduate roles to disappear. Recently-released data shows that the number of entry-level roles being advertised has fallen by a third since the launch of OpenAI's chatbot in November 2022. According to figures from online jobs board Adzuna, there were 214,934 entry-level jobs on offer in May this year, down by 32pc from just three years ago. This decline is outpacing the number of overall vacancy numbers, which have fallen from 1,091,909 to 858,465, or 21pc, over the same period. It comes after The Telegraph reported earlier this month that graduate hiring in the City had also dropped off dramatically since the launch of ChatGPT. This was particularly relevant in the professional services sector, where AI is threatening to automate more mundane tasks carried out by junior accountants and consultants.
