As entry-level office jobs are absorbed by artificial intelligence, millions of Gen Zers face unemployment and millennials regret taking out thousands of student loans for careers that now have decidedly bleak prospects. Now the CEO of Randstad, the world’s largest talent company, has confirmed what many young graduates already fear: the traditional college-to-office pipeline is dead.
Sander van ‘t Noordende, global chief executive of Randstad, said: “People need to reflect on whether – taking out student loans, going to university, training or education in a rapidly changing vocation – this is still the right path.” wealth.
“We all grew up and our parents said, ‘Go to college or university and do something and then do something in an office,’ and that path that used to work for a long time started to break down,” he added.
“You’re already seeing this, graduates are finding it harder and harder to get jobs. You can see it in careers like marketing, communications, design… just look at how good AI is already at some of these things.”
Under his leadership, the staffing company has placed jobs for about 500,000 people a week, and he has bad news for those who have spent thousands of dollars on a degree in hopes of landing a cushy office position: You might have better luck finding a bartender, barista or construction job.
White-collar job market freezes — now bartenders, baristas and construction workers are the future of work
Tech leaders have been warning that artificial intelligence, already as good as entry-level workers, could cut white-collar jobs in half by 2030. In fact, an “unprecedented” study from Stanford University warns that new technologies are already having a “significant and disproportionate impact” on Generation Z. Bartenders and baristas are currently getting even bigger raises than desk workers.
“Jobs will change – and are changing – but new jobs will also emerge,” echoes Vant Nordende. “There’s a huge demand for skilled trades, mechanical engineers, machine operators, maintenance engineers, forklift drivers, truck drivers, you name it.”
With the white-collar job market seemingly frozen, Vant Nordende said telling young people to follow their passions is no longer “good advice.”
“No, it’s better to learn a trade, a trade, a skill or a profession that allows you to make a good life and support you and your family than following your passion.”
To further elaborate on his point: The British government has just announced that it will spend $965 million on apprenticeship training to help tens of thousands of unemployed young people find what they believe to be the jobs of the future, and these jobs are concentrated in the hospitality industry, retail and artificial intelligence fields.
But Vant Nordende stressed that demand for STEM subjects may still exist for those bent on going to university, with STEM study rates in China being twice as high as in the United States and parts of Europe.
What advice does he have for those who have wasted time and money on degrees that are becoming increasingly irrelevant? “Retrain. It’s always good to learn new skills.”
“Look around you and see where there are opportunities that match your skills and background, and go there,” added Vant Nordend. But he warned that at some point, you might “have to bite the bullet and say, ‘Well, this isn’t going to work.'”
The CEO emphasized that you are not alone; Many people are currently doing this. Ultimately, going from an office job to becoming a plumber, teacher or nurse requires a change in mindset, Vant Nordend said. If you end up taking a job outside of your field of study, it’s not a failure – it’s just adjusting to the actual work. “You have to get up from your chair and develop skills,” he added.
This story originally appeared on Fortune.com
