AI might be killing off entry-level jobs, but it’s part of a bigger problem in the job market

Search up entry-level roles, especially in cyber security, and you’ll find that hardly anyone is hiring. In fact, Adzuna shows that advertised entry-level jobs are at their lowest level since February 2021.

For years, young people have been told that if they work hard, get qualified, and “climb the ladder”, they’ll be rewarded. That advice no longer reflects reality. The problem isn’t a skills shortage; it’s an entry-level job shortage. Employers are reluctant to hire people into their first role.

Businesses are cost-constrained and risk-averse. They demand three to five years’ experience, even for junior positions. Growing AI adoption has added to the issue, with many businesses using AI to automate entry-level tasks and presenting this as “efficiency” or a solution to a supposed skills gap.

The message this sends to young people is bleak. You’re only useful once you reach level-two or level-three roles. But without entry-level opportunities, you’ll never gain the experience or credibility needed to reach those positions in the first place.

The result is a generation locked out of work before it even begins. I see people spending thousands of pounds on degrees and certifications, only to find there’s no job waiting at the end. By removing entry-level roles or pricing people out from the start, we’re pushing talent away from sectors that are critical to the UK economy.

While AI can support skills development, using it to replace entry-level jobs is short-sighted and creates a bigger long-term problem. In five to ten years’ time, we’ll face a genuine skills gap because fewer people will have ever learnt the fundamentals.

It’s similar to car maintenance. In the 80s and 90s, you could lift the bonnet and learn by doing. Modern cars are so complex that this is no longer possible. The tech industry is heading in the same direction.

The government must play its part through a serious Digital New Deal that protects entry-level work and incentivises training. But businesses also need to fix broken recruitment practices.

Too many employers rely heavily on CVs and certifications, shutting out not just young people, but mid-career professionals trying to reskill. Hiring should focus on creativity, critical thinking, and willingness to learn.

AI is not the source of the problem; it just feeds into the bigger problem of poor recruitment strategies.

We must change this status quo. Technology changes at such a rapid pace that it is impossible for educational institutions and courses to keep up.

Rather than obsessing over whether recruits have ticked certain boxes via a more traditional route, it must instead be about exhibiting the right attitude and traits as an individual and enabling them to exercise and demonstrate their skill set proactively.

By valuing aptitude, we’re not only creating jobs for young people but also talented employees who will move up the career ladder.

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James Hadley, former GCHQ researcher and founder and chief innovation officer at Immersive

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