Why UK Graduates Can’t Get Jobs
Do Lar
9/8/2025
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A summary of the video "The UK's Graduate Jobs Crisis, Explained" by TLDR News UK is as follows:

The UK is currently experiencing the most challenging job market for graduates since before the pandemic. Recent data shows a 33% decrease in graduate job postings compared to the previous year, with competition reaching a record high. According to the Institute for Student Employers (ISE), there are now an average of 140 applications for every graduate vacancy, the highest figure since 1991.

The video explains that this crisis is the result of several factors converging:

  1. The COVID-19 Pandemic: Hiring freezes and canceled graduate schemes during the pandemic created a multi-year backlog of graduates who are now all competing for a limited pool of jobs.
  2. Economic Pressures: Businesses are struggling with higher costs, leading them to reduce hiring, particularly for entry-level and graduate positions which are often the first to be cut.
  3. Over-qualification: The UK has a surplus of graduates, meaning supply outstrips the demand for high-skilled jobs. This is particularly acute outside of London, where 42% of graduates work in jobs that don't require a degree.
  4. The Emergence of AI: Companies are increasingly using AI for administrative tasks previously handled by junior employees, reducing the number of available entry-level roles in sectors like HR, marketing, and communications.

The problem is also geographically concentrated, with nearly half of all graduate jobs located in London, forcing many graduates to either move to the capital or accept underemployment elsewhere, which in turn exacerbates regional inequality. While graduate salaries are also lagging behind those for non-graduate roles, the video suggests that as the economy recovers and AI becomes more integrated as a workplace tool, the demand for graduates may eventually improve.

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