Overview
- Index Research counted 20,506 Young Professional listings in October 2025, a 5.9% decline from 2024 and down from 2023 levels.
- Experts say AI can automate common entry‑level tasks such as research, simple analyses and taking minutes, but they attribute the overall drop primarily to the broader slowdown and a fading post‑COVID hiring surge.
- Sector shifts are uneven, with the sharpest cuts in HR, legal/tax, transport/logistics and consulting, while IT and telecommunications show a slight rebound from 2024 after a steep fall in 2023.
- A Barmer study reports rising concern among adolescents, with 22% of 14‑ to 17‑year‑olds fearing for their career prospects, up from 17% a year earlier.
- Career guidance emphasizes internships, working‑student roles, apprenticeships and early AI literacy, as separate IAB modeling reported by FAZ projects roughly as many jobs created as lost from stronger AI adoption over 15 years alongside faster growth.