AI Disrupts Entry-Level Tech Jobs Amid Industry Changes

Entry-Level Tech Workers Confront an AI-Fueled Jobpocalypse. A student at a high-ranking engineering college in India reports that among his 400 classmates, fewer than 25% have secured job offers, creating a sense of panic on campus.

Students at engineering colleges in India, China, Dubai, and Kenya are experiencing a jobpocalypse as artificial intelligence replaces humans in entry-level roles. Tasks such as debugging, testing, and routine software maintenance are increasingly being automated.

Over the last three years, the number of fresh graduates hired by big tech companies globally has declined by more than 50%, according to a report published by SignalFire, a San Francisco-based venture capital firm.

Although hiring rebounded slightly in 2024, only 7% of new hires were recent graduates. A significant 37% of managers indicated they would prefer to use AI rather than hire a Gen Z employee. Indian IT services companies have reduced entry-level roles by 20% to 25% due to automation and AI, as noted in a report by consulting firm EY.

Job platforms such as LinkedIn, Indeed, and Eures have observed a 35% decline in junior tech positions across major EU countries during 2024. Vahid Haghzare, director at IT hiring firm Silicon Valley Associates Recruitment in Dubai, remarked that five years ago, there was intense competition for coders and developers, with 90% of hires focused on off-the-shelf technical roles.

Since the rise of AI, that number has dramatically decreased to less than 5%. Haghzare also stated that the current system, where students commit three to five years to learn computer science only to struggle to find jobs, is not sustainable, leaving many students feeling lost.