The number of entry-level jobs available in the UK has dropped by nearly a third since the emergence of generative AI tools such as ChatGPT, according to new data.
According to job search engine Adzuna’s latest UK Job Market Report, while overall job vacancies remain above last year’s levels there has been a sharp reduction in roles for early-career workers – a mark of the uneven impact of technological adoption and economic caution on the labour market.
In May 2025, job listings in the UK dipped by 0.51 percent from the previous month, totalling 858,465 advertised roles. However, this still represented a slight increase of 0.49 percent compared to May 2024, marking the third consecutive month of year-on-year gains. Despite these improvements, entry-level roles including graduate jobs, internships and junior roles requiring no degree have declined by 31.89 percent since November 2022.
This decline coincides with the broader commercial uptake of AI technologies such as ChatGPT, suggesting that automation may be displacing some of the administrative or routine tasks typically assigned to early-career workers. The drop has pushed entry-level roles down to 25 percent of all UK job listings, compared to 28.9 percent in late 2022 – the lowest level recorded since that period.
 |
Get our essential daily HR news and updates. |
Graduate roles see continued decline as hiring stabilises
Graduate hiring has also continued to weaken, falling by 4.2 percent in May. This leaves the sector 28.4 percent below its position in May 2024 and at its lowest point since July 2020.
Earlier this June, it was revealed that the UK’s largest accountancy firms – Deloitte, EY, KPMG and PwC – are cutting back on graduate and school leaver recruitment as artificial intelligence handles more and more of the tasks which were traditionally considered entry-level work.
There has however been a slight salary increases for graduate roles, which rose 1.1 percent month-on-month to an average of £25,427, marking a 5.7 percent increase compared to the previous year. According to data by HR platform HiBob, 38 percent of HR professionals have seen routine task automation enable entry-level workers to focus on more strategic or analytical work, and 24 percent say it has reduced the required years’ experience for entry positions.
Across the wider job market, advertised salaries hit a record high in May, averaging £42,403. This figure rose by 0.3 percent compared to April and by 9.38 percent year-on-year. Pay increases were most notable in Teaching, which saw a monthly salary rise of 2.83 percent, while Logistics and Warehouse roles posted a significant 20.38 percent increase compared to the same time last year.
Despite rising salaries, the average time to fill a vacancy has held steady at 35.8 days. Employers continue to face challenges attracting candidates, with the jobseekers-per-vacancy ratio rising to 2.02 in May, up from 1.98 in April.
Sector-specific trends and the impact of seasonal demand
As the summer approaches, seasonal and frontline hiring has remained resilient. Logistics and Warehouse jobs rose 9.77 percent month-on-month, while Creative and Design roles increased by 6 percent and Hospitality and Catering positions rose by 5.61 percent. Teaching roles also continued to perform strongly, with 169,064 live vacancies in May and a growth rate of 1.63 percent.
However, not all sectors followed this trend. Healthcare and Nursing saw a 10.21 percent drop in postings—its first significant decline after sustained growth earlier in the year. Admin roles fell by 9.22 percent, while Maintenance and Domestic Help vacancies dropped by 7.95 percent and 5.72 percent respectively.
Looking at salary changes, while some sectors like Travel saw monthly wage declines of 3.83 percent, the annual picture showed more encouraging trends. Teaching salaries were up 15.75 percent year-on-year, and Maintenance rose 13.43 percent. Energy, Oil and Gas was the only sector to post an annual decrease, falling marginally by 0.01 percent.
Legal and Admin roles remained the quickest to fill in May, taking an average of just over 32 days. Creative and Design positions required the longest time to hire, at 42 days, closely followed by roles in the Energy, Oil and Gas sector at 40.2 days. These timelines suggest ongoing hesitancy among employers to commit to hiring, especially for more specialised roles.
Meanwhile, salary transparency across job listings has reversed recent gains, falling to 43.5 percent. This decline could indicate employers are becoming more conservative with compensation details as they reassess budgets and hiring priorities.
