Unemployment

[Jurassicspark]

Yeah, AI is a disaster for young people. Computing graduates are struggling to get work now because companies are relying heavily on AI. We're going to experience a massive brain drain over the next decade, and then businesses will suddenly find that there are no experienced and skilled staff who understand what the machines are creating. What could possibly go wrong?

The real problem isn’t with graduates, but with middle management roles that don’t create real value. These jobs were all about managing processes, meetings and creating unnecessary reports to justify their existence.

Now with automation and AI these roles are being exposed as unnecessary, and those in them are struggling to stay relevant. Graduates with modern skills, tech, automation, and data analysis are seen as a threat because their abilities show how little work these middle management jobs actually do.

AI isn’t taking away graduate opportunities. It’s eliminating those "fake" roles.

 

[Lower]

We recruit graduates and non graduates for the same engineering and project management related jobs.

I'd take someone with 3 years relevant work experience over someone fresh out of university with a relevant degree every time. The only time that changes is if the graduate has done a decent placement year or managed to find a relevant part time job whilst they were studying.

I will be encouraging my son to go for a professional work related training scheme when he finishes A levels rather than go to university if he's bright enough and the training places exist.

 

[Jurassicspark]

With degrees in drama, social media and other nonsense, no wonder so many end up unemployed.
There are courses on Taylor Swift and Minecraft FFS!
And all those student loans unpaid...

You mention degrees in social media but isn't social media a part of how businesses connect with their audience nowadays?

It’s not just something 'trendy' anymore, it’s a core part of marketing and customer engagement. Look at a business or a computer science related course, and you'll probably see a unit related to social media.

 

[Jurassicspark]

Interestingly, my nieces son has last year started his career path to be an accountant with one of the big ones straight from 6th form with 2 A levels. They don't want graduates from Uni, they do it in house now. I'm not sure how it's fully structured, but he doesn't need to lose 2 years of his life living in squalor nor will he be saddled with £50k+ student debt for the rest of his life.

Students who pursued an accounting degree at university can study for the ACCA qualification afterwards, a globally recognised qualification. If one studied accounting already in university, they normally get exempt from a few exams, saving them time and money.

 

[Jurassicspark]

I’d have to disagree with you on that. I think many are.

I've heard some people, without any experience, and having never worked before struggle to get a non-degree job.
Most jobs, even the bottom level paid ones, are looking for people who have some sort of experience in a previous job role.
They will at least want a reference from a previous employer, showing that they were reliable.

 

[kingandy2nd]

To put the article into context:

2024 ONS data shows unemployment rates by highest qualification:

• Graduates: ≈ 3.1 %
• Non-graduates: ≈ 5.6 %

Therefore you are nearly twice as unlikely to be unemployed if you graduate from uni. Obviously there may also be a disconnect between the type of job and the qualifications a person holds as well, however looking at the stats you've got a better chance of being employed if you went to uni.

 

[motorbiking]

Couple of observations:

1) AI is not removing software development jobs for Computer graduates in the U.K. the jobs simply don’t exist in the U.K. anymore. They went to places like India, Sri Lanka, Vietnam years ago.

2) by proper job leveraging a degree, I mean working in IT with a computing degree, finance, with a business finance degree etc. not Aldi or McDonald’s etc where the degree made no difference.

3) part of the problem is changes to employment rights, NI increases, pension tax etc.

4) the idea that Uni is a 3 year p** up and masses of debt is a bit dated. A lot choose to commute and live at home and work part time.

 

[johnny2007]

You mention degrees in social media but isn't social media a part of how businesses connect with their audience nowadays?

It’s not just something 'trendy' anymore, it’s a core part of marketing and customer engagement. Look at a business or a computer science related course, and you'll probably see a unit related to social media.

Give a phone to any teenager and they'll be able to setup all your media needs in a couple of hours.
Tried and tested with sports clubs around here.

 

[JohnD]

2024 ONS data shows unemployment rates by highest qualification:

• Graduates: ≈ 3.1 %
• Non-graduates: ≈ 5.6 %s

Therefore you are nearly twice as unlikely to be unemployed if you graduate from uni.

I think you've made a mistake.

3.1 is about half, not twice, 5.6

 

[fixitflav]

With degrees in drama, social media and other nonsense, no wonder so many end up unemployed.
There are courses on Taylor Swift and Minecraft FFS!
And all those student loans unpaid...

Reminds me of a Smith and Jones exchange about John McVicar

Smith - Look at that John McVicar, nasty, violent, hardened armed criminal, no use to anybody. But when he was in prison he studied, he worked hard, and now he's got a sociology degree.
Jones - so he's still no use to anybody then.

 

[motorbiking]

I think you've made a mistake.

3.1 is about half, not twice, 5.6

The phrase he used was nearly twice as unlikely.

 

[morqthana]

Interestingly, my nieces son has last year started his career path to be an accountant with one of the big ones straight from 6th form with 2 A levels. They don't want graduates from Uni,

Funnily enough, my old work buddy's wife, did exactly the same thing. She has since passed all her Chartered Exams (done whilst at the accounting firm) and is now in a great position. It was a long slog though.

White collar apprenticeships have always been, and remain, perfectly "acceptable".

But compare and contrast how blue collar/"vocational"/trade/manual-skill apprenticeships have been reduced in number, reduced in status, reduced in scope for decades, driven by cuts and policies from governments and companies run by the white-collar bunch.

 

[morqthana]

no one is under the illusion that it entitles them to an elite high paying job, the moment they are handed their graduation results.

Whether you'd call them a high paid elite, I don't know, but there was a time when once somebody had got his papers as a welder, say, from Harland & Wolff, or Swan Hunter, or John Brown, they were in demand world-wide.

And it is still the case that if you graduate from the right university, with the right degree (and I don't necessarily mean the right grade), and most importantly attended the right school before then, you can walk into an elite job.

 

[Highway Man]

And it is still the case that if you graduate from the right university, with the right degree (and I don't necessarily mean the right grade), and most importantly attended the right school before then, you can walk into an elite job.

I beg to differ here, I hold a degree from Hull University so it isn't exactly Oxford, however because of my looks and my body I can honestly say I had more opportunity's than an Oxford graduate. Put it this way if the interviewer was female I am coming away with that job. I am being completely serious, if you look the part and are good with people then your qualification is totally secondary and is merely a door opener.

 

[morqthana]

I beg to differ here, I hold a degree from Hull University so it isn't exactly Oxford, however because of my looks and my body I can honestly say I had more opportunity's than an Oxford graduate. Put it this way if the interviewer was female I am coming away with that job. I am being completely serious, if you look the part and are good with people then your qualification is totally secondary and is merely a door opener.

I'm not saying that only the sort of people I described walk into "elite" jobs.