It feels like every few weeks, there’s a new headline warning that artificial intelligence is about to wipe out entry level jobs. For young people eyeing a future in tech, this can be discouraging. With youth unemployment still high and employers cautious about hiring, it’s no wonder some are starting to question whether there’s still a way into the industry.
The anxiety is real, but that’s not the whole story. In my experience working with organizations facing workforce changes, AI isn’t just taking jobs away. It’s changing how work is done, what employers are looking for, and where careers get started.
AI isn’t just taking jobs. It’s really rewriting the rule book on what work even looks like right now.
Too much of the current debate assumes that if certain junior tasks disappear, junior careers disappear with them. That is not how labour markets work, and it is not how technology has ever changed employment.
Technology has always changed entry level work
Every major shift in technology has altered the shape of early careers. Administrative work changed with spreadsheets. Customer service changed with digital platforms. Software development changed with cloud computing and low-code tools. AI is the latest chapter in a much longer pattern.
Some routine tasks that once sat inside junior roles are now being automated. Drafting basic copy, summarising meetings, organising data, handling repetitive queries and producing simple code outputs can increasingly be completed by software. That may reduce the amount of time spent on low-value work, but it does not eliminate the need for people.
Instead, it increases demand for skills that technology cannot easily replicate. Businesses still need people who can apply judgement, solve ambiguous problems, communicate clearly, understand customers, collaborate across teams and make responsible decisions. They need people who can implement AI tools effectively, challenge poor outputs, improve workflows and connect technology to commercial outcomes.
The jobs are changing. The opportunity remains.
Why unemployment and skills shortages can exist together
One of the biggest contradictions in today’s economy is that youth unemployment can rise at the same time as employers continue to report talent shortages.
This often happens because businesses are hiring for yesterday’s model of work, while candidates are trying to enter tomorrow’s. Too many organisations still ask for narrow experience rather than broader capability. They write job descriptions that demand years of expertise in tools that have only recently become mainstream. They expect finished products instead of investing in potential.
Many employers are searching for the purple unicorns rather than someone that they can ramp up and train.
That approach creates avoidable barriers. Young people are told they need experience before they can be hired, yet they are denied the opportunity to gain it. Employers then conclude there is a shortage of talent, when realistically, there is often a shortage of imagination in hiring.
The first rung of the ladder has moved
For many years, a technology career often began with a permanent junior role, followed by steady progression inside one company. That route still exists, but it is no longer the only one and, in some sectors, no longer the most common approach.
Today, many careers begin through project-based work, contingent assignments, apprenticeships, startup environments, internal mobility or short-term transformation programmes. Organisations increasingly need specialist capability quickly, and more are using flexible workforce models to access it.
That shift can benefit younger workers if they are prepared to see experience differently. Real work delivered through a six-month project can be just as valuable as a traditional first job. Exposure to multiple teams can sometimes accelerate learning more quickly than a narrow entry level role.
Alternative models offer a more flexible income stream that enables workers to bolster their paycheck as their unique needs require. Those same models can also help workers build experience, confidence and professional credibility at an earlier stage in their careers.
What young people should focus on now
For anyone starting out, the priority should be building relevant capability rather than chasing a perfect title. The strongest candidates in this market are not necessarily those with the neatest CVs. They are the ones who can demonstrate value.
That begins with understanding how AI is being used in real workplaces. You do not need to become an engineer overnight, but you do need to understand how automation supports productivity, where tools fall short, and why human oversight matters. People who can combine AI fluency with sound judgement will be in demand across functions.
It also means creating evidence of your skills. Employers increasingly want proof of problem-solving, curiosity and initiative. A portfolio, side project, technical experiment, volunteer experience or clear demonstration of learning can often matter more than generic claims on an application form.
Young people should also be open-minded about where careers start. Many successful people in technology begin in operations, customer support, sales, administration or project coordination before moving into product, systems, data or transformation roles. Those early experiences often create a deeper understanding of how organisations actually function, which later becomes a competitive advantage.
The employers responsibility
Responsibility does not rest solely with younger workers. If organisations genuinely want stronger talent pipelines, they must modernise how they recruit and develop people.
That means hiring for aptitude and transferable skills rather than pedigree alone. It means reducing unnecessary experience requirements, creating apprenticeships and returner pathways, and treating project work as a genuine route into permanent opportunity. It means recognising that potential is often easier to spot in attitude and adaptability than in polished credentials.
Retention and performance are built on culture as much as compensation. Engaged employees are productive, successful employees, and it’s never been more important for business leaders to prioritise strong company culture and people-centric infrastructure.”
That principle matters especially for early-career workers. Young employees entering uncertain markets need development, mentoring and visibility if they are to thrive.
AI should widen access, not take it away
There is a real risk that some businesses use AI simply to cut costs while quietly reducing junior hiring. If that becomes the dominant model, we risk creating a generation locked out of the experience needed to progress.
AI can remove low value administration, personalise learning, shorten training curves, identify hidden talent, match people to assignments faster and create more flexible ways to build experience. Used responsibly, it can make access to technology careers broader and more meritocratic than older systems allowed.
The choice lies not with the technology itself, but how organisations balance their approach to it and the decisions they make around its use.
The route still exists
The route into technology is evolving, but it remains accessible. It may not look like a graduate scheme we would normally see a decade ago. Why would it? But it may begin with a project, an apprenticeship, a contingent role, a startup opportunity or a sideways move from another function.
What matters is not whether the first step looks traditional. What matters is whether it builds momentum.
Careers are rarely built through a single perfect role. They are built through a series of opportunities, each creating the next. For those willing to keep learning, stay adaptable and build relevant skills, technology still offers enormous potential.
The rule book may be changing, but young people still have every chance to help write what comes next.
Robert Lucido
Robert Lucido is Senior Director of Strategic Advisory at Magnit Global where he leads strategic advisory initiatives focused on contingent workforce strategy, workforce analytics, and labour market intelligence for enterprise organisations across multiple industries
