The graduate 'jobpocalypse' is here, per FT
Graduates now need 2 internships, 3 side hustles, and 5 years of "experience" to earn $45k.
Meanwhile, job listings are asking for "recent college grads" with 4+ years of experience.
Where did all the entry-level jobs go?
— Barefoot Student (@BarefootStudent) September 29, 2025
As AI threatens white-collar work, more youth choose blue-collar careers…
At just 23, Jacob Palmer is already running his own electrical company. He launched the business in 2024 after starting in the field as an apprentice electrician, a career path he embarked on when college turned out not to be for him.
Palmer has no regrets about his decision to forego college and instead establish himself as a tradesman. “I am very happy doing what I am doing now because it has given me the opportunity to work for myself and be independent,” he told CBS News.
Experts say the skilled trades — jobs like electricians, plumbers, welders, masons, HVAC technicians and other occupations requiring extensive training and often licensing — are attracting a growing number of young people put off by high tuition costs.
More than 57% of Gen Zers surveyed by Jobber, a software tool for service businesses, cite student loan debt as a concern about going to college, according to the company’s annual report on attitudes toward blue collar jobs.
Coming soon:
Only 48% of 18-29 year olds say they have a full time job.— Mark Mitchell, Rasmussen Reports (@honestpollster) September 29, 2025