Skip to Primary Navigation

The great graduate job drought

University graduation ceremony
Photo: Getty Images

Economic uncertainty and the arrival of AI have brought a reduction in entry-level roles, with potentially disastrous consequences for young people.

22 January, 2026 by Anjli Raval in London

When 22-year-old Emily Chong graduated from University College London last year, she thought the job hunt would be simple. She had a first-class degree in history and a place on the dean’s list, an academic honour awarded to the top 5 per cent of