It’s an uncertain time for college grads. Nearly half say they feel unprepared for even entry-level jobs in their fields.
Many employers agree. One in six hiring managers hesitate to bring on recent grads due to a lack of workplace skills like teamwork and communication. Yet nine in ten educators say their grads are ready to enter the workforce.
Employers can’t afford to wait for this gap to close on its own. As retirements accelerate and artificial intelligence automates some entry-level work, they’ll have to take the lead — by partnering directly with colleges and universities to give students real-world experience before they graduate.
The pandemic widened the disconnect between employers and young workers. Years of remote learning deprived students of formative experiences like lab work and campus leadership. Many graduates now have strong academic foundations but less practice navigating unspoken professional norms.
On top of that, many entry-level roles that once taught young professionals the basics — data analysis, coding, and report-writing among them — are disappearing as companies turn to AI. That may boost productivity today. But it prevents firms from developing the next generation of talent to lead them in the future.
