Job openings aimed at new or recent graduates in the United Kingdom are down about 7 percent from last year, at their lowest level since 2020, according to data published on Monday.
Seasonal opportunities for young people look bleak too, with adverts for temporary summer roles — common in tourism, events, and children's camps — at their weakest in four years last month.
The research, shared by the job website Indeed, also shows adverts open to new or recent graduates remained close to the lowest level on record as a share of overall postings.
"Students graduating this summer are entering a market where employers are pulling back on junior hiring in response to the cost pressures and uncertainty that have characterized 2026," said Jack Kennedy, senior UK economist at Indeed.
The squeeze is falling hardest on career starters, as recent falls in payroll employment have been centered in retail and hospitality — the sectors that disproportionately employ young people.
