The impact of AI on entry-level jobs was one of the defining themes of this year’s ISE Student Recruitment Conference. Erin McKelvey and Robbie White of Forvis Mazars explore the implications, how AI is fundamentally changing the future of early careers and how employers can prepare talent.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is rarely out of the headlines and currently faces much debate around the impact on early careers. The evidence emerging from employers suggests that AI is not removing most entry-level jobs, but it is fundamentally changing them.
Recent This year's ISE Student Development Survey found that employers do not expect any early careers tasks to be fully automated within the next three years. The majority of employers expect minor adjustments to tasks or responsibilities, rather than AI replacement.
The tasks changing fastest are routine administration, basic data processing and initial research, while employers increasingly expect early-career hires to bring judgement, critical thinking and communication skills to their work.
While ISE found the early careers jobs market stabilised this year, the picture is mixed and 40% of employers reported making reductions to roles. This is likely more aligned with lack of market growth and increased focus on delivery efficiency than mass AI job replacement. For employers, this creates both an opportunity and a challenge.
From gathering data to interpreting it
Historically, graduates and apprentices learned through instruction from team members and often performed repetitive tasks whilst gaining experience in more complex areas of the business. They gathered information, completed basic analysis and prepared draft outputs before gradually taking on more complex responsibilities; thus, building business knowledge and wider context of their roles.
AI is accelerating that journey and forcing many people to make far more complex decisions far earlier in their career. It is also forcing early careers hires to be far more aware of the outputs they receive and what they do with them. It is driving judgement earlier.
Many of the tasks that once helped people build experience can now be completed in seconds. The value no longer sits in finding information, it sits in interpreting it, questioning it and deciding what to do with it, particularly when there is so much more information than ever before.
As a result, entry-level hires increasingly need to:
- Interpret data and extract meaningful insights.
- Assess the quality and reliability of AI-generated outputs.
- Challenge recommendations rather than accept them at face value.
- Communicate complex information clearly.
- Build their AI prompt literacy.
- Build relationships and influence stakeholders.
- Apply judgement in ambiguous situations.
In many organisations, graduates and apprentices are being asked to contribute to analysis, decision-making and client conversations earlier than previous generations. There are far more responsibilities and expectations for junior roles than ever before and they may not have the experience to support it.
That means the skills that matter most are becoming increasingly human and often involve judgement.
Human skills are becoming more, not less, valuable
Across employer discussions throughout 2025 and 2026, a consistent theme has emerged: communication, critical thinking, adaptability and relationship-building are becoming more important in an AI-enabled workplace.
AI can draft content, summarise information and generate recommendations. What it cannot do is take accountability for a decision, navigate complex stakeholder relationships or understand organisational context.
Whilst it can help to support judgement, the ownership and judgement still need a human in the loop. The future workforce needs confidence to challenge outputs, curiosity to explore alternatives and judgement to recognise when technology is wrong.
The question for employers is therefore shifting from ‘How do we teach people to use AI?’ to ‘How do we help people work effectively alongside it?’ There is an increasing need to support those early in their careers to make judgement calls with AI as an assistant.
The risk of a growing AI divide
There is another challenge employers cannot ignore and sadly it is fundamental to the workforce. Discussions about AI often focus on access, but access is only part of the story.
Research from the Sutton Trust highlights a widening AI divide in education. Private school teachers are more than twice as likely as state school teachers to have received formal AI training (45% compared with 21%). This means many students are entering higher education and the labour market with very different levels of knowledge and confidence in using AI effectively.
Furthermore there is increasing media coverage around AI-bias impacting use, decision-making and human experiences with AI. For an easy example of this see the Workday lawsuit based on AI-bias and its impact on hiring in the company.
This matters because effective AI use is not simply about having access to a tool. It is about understanding when to use it, how to evaluate outputs and where its limitations lie. It is about keeping a human in the loop where judgment is needed.
Without intervention, AI risks becoming another advantage disproportionately available to those who already have greater access to coaching, support and resources.
What can employers do?
The implications of AI extend across the entire candidate and employee journey and it means that a full review and evaluation is important. Professionals need to evaluate the entire process and not merely parts.
Attraction: make human connection a differentiator
AI is changing how students engage with employers long before they submit an application. Many now use social media, online communities and AI tools as a substitute for traditional careers advice. At the same time, confidence is declining.
Research presented at the ISE Student Recruitment Conference highlighted growing concerns among young people about whether recruitment processes are fair and whether AI is making decisions without human involvement. Only around a third believe their application will receive a fair chance. This creates an opportunity for employers to stand out.
First, meet students where they are. Create content that answers genuine questions, uses clear language and provides practical insight into roles and career paths. If employers do not provide trustworthy answers, AI will do it on their behalf. It is also worth considering whether your content is created by people that reflect where they are both as individuals and communities.
Second, focus on skills rather than tasks. Highlight the capabilities that matter in an AI-enabled workplace, such as critical thinking, communication, adaptability and judgement. Skills-based messaging can help candidates better understand expectations and self-select into appropriate opportunities.
Third, bring back meaningful human interaction. Research shared by Tonic at the ISE Student Recruitment Conference found that almost half of young people wanted more human connection throughout the recruitment process. In a world of automated communications, networking events, insight programmes, workshops and conversations with current employees become increasingly valuable.
Finally, move from employer brand content to reality content. Candidates want to know what the job actually involves, how AI is used, what support is available and what success looks like in the first few months. Honest employee stories and realistic previews help build trust and confidence before candidates even apply.
Application and assessment: make fairness visible
Candidates know AI is being used in recruitment. The problem is that many do not know how.
A lack of transparency creates mistrust and anxiety, particularly when candidates feel they are being assessed by systems they do not understand. Employers should clearly explain:
- Where AI is used in the recruitment process.
- How decisions are made.
- Whether applications are reviewed by humans.
- What level of candidate AI use is acceptable.
- What skills are actually being assessed.
Transparency is increasingly becoming a competitive advantage.
Onboarding: build confidence, not just capability
Many early careers hires arrive having used AI tools, but few have been taught how to use them professionally.
Onboarding should focus on practical skills such as evaluating AI outputs, identifying inaccuracies, understanding risks and applying professional judgement.
Also train them on the unique tooling for your organisation so that professional practices in AI are embedded early. New hires need confidence not only to use AI, but to challenge it when necessary.
Development: don't automate away learning
One of the biggest risks facing employers is over-automation and less fundamental skills building. If AI removes every administrative, analytical and developmental task, where do future managers, specialists and leaders learn their craft? How do they become people who can manage if they do not have true understanding?
Employers need to redesign work thoughtfully, ensuring AI removes low-value activities while preserving opportunities for learning, critical thinking and professional growth. There needs to be clear plans around how the fundamental skills are growing and real management level judgement is being performed.
Do not underestimate the importance of shared knowledge and from people learning from other people. In a world where quick answers may come easily, discussions, particularly face to face, become even more meaningful for strategy and long-term direction.
The future is still about people
The narrative that AI is replacing early-career talent can be damaging, particularly at a time when confidence among young people is already fragile. Research presented throughout the ISE Student Recruitment Conference described a growing confidence crisis, with concerns about employability, fairness and the future role of humans in work.
The reality is however still significantly different to this at present.
Yes, AI is changing work, how people learn, how employers define skills and how we spend our time each day. However, the capabilities that underpin long-term success remain deeply human: communication, critical thinking, relationship building and judgement.
As AI takes on more routine work, these skills will become more important than ever. The challenge for employers is not simply to recruit for them, but to develop them from attraction through to onboarding and beyond.