Entry-level jobs are disappearing — Gen Z should learn these crucial skills to get hired

AI in, Gen Z out.

Experts are warning that entry-level jobs may be disappearing, leaving Gen Z unemployed.

This generation of young workers, expected to make up about 30% of the global workforce by 2030, is entering the job market as the roles they were set to apply for might not exist.

As AI continues to evolve, it’s clear that many of the traditional entry-level roles, often seen as stepping stones into the workforce, are rapidly being automated.

A YouGov survey found that 54% of Americans say they feel cautious about advances in AI and 47% feel concerned.

The shift towards AI is impacting the types of jobs available, especially those for new employees.

“Entry-level jobs tend to involve routine, well-defined tasks — exactly the kind of work current AI systems are best suited to automate,” Professor Daniela Rus, the Director of Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory at MIT, told Newsweek.

Experts argue that while some of these roles might not disappear entirely, they are evolving into something unrecognizable.

For Gen Z, this transition could wipe out or change the roles they expected to apply for.

“AI is rapidly reshaping entry-level jobs, automating repetitive tasks, streamlining workflows, and, in some cases, eliminating roles entirely,” Keri Mesropov, founder of Spring Talent Development, said.

However, Gen Z’s chances of being employed aren’t completely deleted. Those looking to enter the workforce may just need to adapt to utilize this new technology.

But this is nothing entirely new. The workforce as gone through changes due to technological leaps throughout history — the industrial revolution and the dot-com era.

Industry analyst Josh Bersin argues that entry-level hiring has currently slowed due to economic factors, but that the introduction of AI could also create entirely new job categories.

These roles would involve building, managing, and optimizing AI systems, presenting an opportunity for digital natives to step into new roles.

This shift isn’t just about surviving in the job market — it’s about adapting to a new professional environment where AI becomes a powerful tool in everyday work.

“AI is changing everything, faster than most institutions, companies or curriculums can keep pace with. But no, that doesn’t mean your education or potential is obsolete. It means we have to think differently about what growth and opportunity look like,” wrote LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman in a recent post on the platform.

“You were born into this shift. You’re native to these tools in a way that older generations aren’t. Lean into it. Teach others.”

Despite fears that AI will replace human workers, experts agree that AI cannot fully replace human judgment. Mesropov argues that while AI can automate tasks, it still requires human input for context-heavy decisions, judgment calls, and troubleshooting.

And Gen Z’s familiarity with technology, particularly AI, could make them valuable assets in this new era.

According to the YouGov survey, adults under 30 are more likely than older Americans to ever use AI tools (76% vs. 51%) and are also more likely to use AI at least weekly (50% vs. 23%).

“The advantage Gen Z has is that they are digital natives. They are well-positioned to work alongside AI, not in opposition to it,” Rus told Newsweek. “Young people today are using AI to solve problems and even have fun by creating stories and images.”

As AI reshapes the job market, the skills companies will need most in their entry-level hires won’t just be technical— they will need strong problem-solving abilities, creativity, and emotional intelligence.

Experts suggest that while the structure of entry-level jobs is changing, the challenge will be to rethink what these roles look like. AI-assisted apprenticeships, project-based learning environments, and hybrid human-AI teams are among the potential models for the future.

However, experts also caution that while young workers have an advantage in terms of digital fluency, they must still build the soft skills necessary to succeed in the workforce, such as communication, adaptability, and critical thinking.

Though it’s easy to get lost in the rhetoric surrounding AI’s potential to disrupt jobs, the reality is that the technology is not just a threat — it’s an opportunity.

For Gen Z, the key to thriving in this new era will be their ability to adapt, learn, and leverage AI tools to solve real-world problems.