techUK Event: Industry leaders call for overhaul of graduate job pathways amid AI takeover

Industry leaders have called for an overhaul of graduate job pathways amid entry-level roles coming under threat from AI and economic turbulence, risking future talent pipelines, at techUK’s latest future of work event.

Hosted as part of techUK’s ongoing Exploring the Future of Work series, the event brought together industry and labour market experts to separate AI hype from reality and identify practical steps to support young people entering the workforce.

The current job market for early-career roles remains challenging. Unemployment among 16 to 24-year-olds, rose to 16.1% at the end of last year, the highest it’s been in more than a decade, leaving many early-career professionals struggling to find work and build future-ready skills.

Speaking at the event, James Tuttiett, Global Transformation Director at FDM Group said,

“Technical capability is accelerating at an extraordinary pace, yet we are facing steep talent and opportunity shortages at the same time. It’s not for a lack of talented people, it’s because the pathways that once supported early careers are breaking.”

“To address this, we need to embed AI fluency from day one across education, redesign early career roles so learning accelerates rather than disappears and create new pathways into technology careers for people who would otherwise be excluded. It also means moving beyond traditional delivery models and embracing genuine collaboration between humans and machines through experiential learning to give young people the practical skills that businesses desperately need.”

“If we get this right, we can deliver the future talent pipeline for over a decade and make sure young people are at the heart of the AI workplace, rather than left behind. We build a more resilient workforce, expand opportunity and show that social mobility and competitiveness can reinforce each other.”

Research from FDM Group also indicates that while 2% of employers expect a decline in graduate roles because of AI, more than half will underpin all early-career roles in the near future.

The session, hosted by FDM Group, explored how organisations can maintain strong early-career pathways while adopting AI at pace.

Speakers emphasised the importance of skills-based hiring and the investment in training. They also said that without coordinated action, the decline in entry-level roles could have long-term consequences for innovation and productivity.

The discussion forms part of techUK and FDM Group’s ongoing efforts to examine how organisations can adapt workforce strategies to ensure inclusive growth while navigating rapid technological change.