A silent labor collapse is unfolding, millions of jobs erased and an entire graduating class stepping into a broken economy.

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Companies Predict 2026 Will Be the Worst College Grad Job Market in Five Years
Hires from the Class of 2026 will stay largely flat, employers project, as layoffs rise and AI is able to do more entry-level tasks

https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/careers/2026-graduates-job-market-7928bcd7

The Class of 2026 might be walking into a deep unemployment crisis, according to recent employer surveys. More than half of 183 employers polled by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) described the job market for next spring’s college graduates as “poor” or “fair”, which is the most negative outlook since the height of the pandemic.

The study reveals that hiring plans for new graduates are expected to grow by only 1.6 per cent, a significant drop from previous years, Wall Street Journal reports.

Companies across sectors, including large names like Amazon, Inc. and Verizon Communications Inc, have announced thousands of layoffs or hiring freezes. For graduates, this means competing not only with their peers but also with experienced workers displaced from the labour market.

https://www.edexlive.com/news/companies-predict-2026-to-be-the-worst-job-market-for-fresh-graduates

October Challenger Report: 153,074 Job Cuts on Cost-Cutting & AI
JOB CUTS SURPASS 1 MILLION; HIGHEST OCTOBER TOTAL SINCE 2003. COMPANIES CITE COST-CUTTING, AI IN OCTOBER
Published November 6, 2025

U.S.-based employers announced 153,074 job cuts in October, up 175% from the 55,597 cuts announced in October 2024. It is up 183% from the 54,064 job cuts announced one month prior, according to a report released Thursday from global outplacement and executive coaching firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas.

“October’s pace of job cutting was much higher than average for the month. Some industries are correcting after the hiring boom of the pandemic, but this comes as AI adoption, softening consumer and corporate spending, and rising costs drive belt-tightening and hiring freezes. Those laid off now are finding it harder to quickly secure new roles, which could further loosen the labor market,” said Andy Challenger, workplace expert and chief revenue officer for Challenger, Gray & Christmas.

https://www.challengergray.com/blog/october-challenger-report-153074-job-cuts-on-cost-cutting-ai/