Editorial
Entry level roles have become increasingly difficult to come by — and though fingers haven't yet started pointing to AI as the leading cause, many of the tasks AI has shown proficiency with are the kinds of tasks that comprise a typical internship or new graduate role.
Tasks such as taking the first pass at reports or presentations and compiling data into visualizations are more than just a rite of passage in the workplace. They provide important learning by helping entry level talent gain practical skills for the workplace, make mistakes safely and with minimal risk, and make more informed career decisions.
For those entering the workplace, the first three years are vital to establishing the foundation for one’s career to follow. It is during these first few years that early stage professionals start to build their work ethic, learn by observation, gain mentorship and start to make decisions about further career specialization. Through a mix of hands-on experience and exposure, the learning potential of meaningful entry level opportunities can be significant and hard to truly quantify over the course of an individual’s career.
With a growing number of companies ready to take AI up on its promise, especially amidst economic uncertainty and the growing costs of sustaining a workforce, what could the rise of AI do to the perennial challenge of youth unemployment and what can companies, colleges and universities, as well as early talent themselves do to capture the benefits of AI without eroding valuable entry points into the world of work?
Companies: Don't Cut Just Because You Can
Companies expecting to exist well into the future will need experienced talent who are entry-level talent today. Removing entry points to the workplace means sacrificing experienced leaders and specialists down the road.
Companies balancing the allocation of work between technology and people have an opportunity to be more intentional about which core functions remain with humans and design internship and new-graduate programs focused on training and skill development in high-need areas for the company.
Achieving this shift will require managers to think differently about early talent and shift from low-cost labour focus to a high-potential talent focus.
Colleges and Universities: Focus on Building Skills That Are Uniquely Human
Collaboration, critical thinking and creativity are among the skills that are and will remain uniquely human. Skills for success in the workplace look completely different in the age of AI, and colleges and universities play an important role in equipping students for this new reality.
Working in partnership with industry, colleges and universities can help entry-level talent get more practical exposure while in school to help ease the transition upon graduation. Colleges and universities must also emphasize critical thinking and creativity skills for students preparing to enter a workforce where AI will likely be a companion requiring a human partner who can analyze, evaluate and assess AI-generated outputs.
Early Talent: Hone In on Your Human Differentiator
Remember, AI is currently repackaging what has already been said, written or otherwise documented digitally. Only the creative minds of new thinkers and challengers can have new and truly original ideas.
While AI appears to be on the rise, increasingly, companies are reporting increasing demand for social influence, leadership and analytical thinking skills and foreseeing risk if these talent needs are not met. Knowledge and understanding of foundational skills will continue to be important to assess the outputs of AI tools, but the true impact will come from what is done with the information — and that's where the true human comes into play.
Policy Makers: Balance Employment Legislation With Feasibility
Increasingly, changes to employment legislation make the cost of hiring and retaining employees a significant barrier to creating new opportunities for early talent, especially for small- to medium-sized businesses. In Canada, as of 2023, approximately 98% of employer businesses were classified as small businesses and employed roughly 47% of the total private labor force.
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With limited resources, small businesses are often unable to create training and upskilling opportunities for early talent and new graduates, which leaves tighter competition for a foot in the door with the remaining 2% of employers who can afford to employ early talent. Wage subsidy programs and greater awareness and resources to access such funding can significantly help small businesses reap the benefits of early talent in a sustainable way, while creating rewarding entry-level opportunities.
Editor's Note: Read more about recentering the human workforce as AI use increases:
- Workforce Planners Say AI Isn't Ready for Prime Time — The volatility of the current business environment is making workforce planning tough. AI can help, but not in the way you might think.
- If We Want AI to Help HR, HR Has to Join the Conversation — Engineers are designing AI systems to address problems that are rooted in the very systems HR understands best.
- Rethink Your HR Strategy to Include AI Agents — As AI agents make their way into our workforce, HR is called to adapt its workforce strategy.
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