“Fun prank: make people study for 16 years then replace them with AI.”

“Fun prank: make people study for 16 years then replace them with AI.”

I stopped mid-scroll when I saw that meme yesterday. A quick dive showed thousands of similar posts from young professionals frustrated with today’s job market, and the data backs them up.

More students than ever are graduating from college, yet the degree itself matters less. 53% of employers have eliminated degree requirements, up from 30% last year (TestGorilla). At the same time, grads are up against hundreds of applicants, automated resume screeners, and the rise of AI. Even Anthropic’s CEO has warned that AI could wipe out half of all entry-level white-collar jobs.

The Wall Street Journal reports that the Class of 2026 will enter the toughest job market for grads since the first pandemic year. Many employers are preparing for layoffs, pouring billions into AI, and favoring candidates with existing experience over new grads.

This combination of economic scarcity, rapid technological change, and being evaluated by algorithms is taking a toll on young people’s mental health and sense of possibility.

We need to meet the moment. LinkedIn’s Chief People Officer recently advised that everyone build AI literacy and add AI-powered skills to their toolkit. At Civics Unplugged, we’re already helping our Fellows do that by teaching them how to prompt GenAI to help them design innovative projects and technologies that help their communities, and we will be diving even deeper into this training in the new year.

But we also know something else is true: Gen Z isn’t just looking for a job. They’re looking to establish a deeper purpose through their careers. Our role is to support them as they navigate these shifts and help them build careers that are both financially suitable for this moment and mission-driven to sustain them well into the future.

Thoughts on how we can continue to support new grads? DM me!