Research: Early Careers and Skills: Equipping the Workforce for What’s Next

Early careers is becoming one of the defining workforce challenges for employers.

Advances in AI, shifting workforce needs and increasing pressure on employers are reshaping what organisations expect from entry-level talent and how future capability is developed. Yet despite concerns about the future of graduate and entry-level hiring, this research shows that employers remain committed to investing in early careers while rethinking the pathways, capabilities and support needed for long-term success.

Produced by Corporate Research Forum in partnership with BPP and with additional commentary from The Oxford Group, this report combines original survey data from more than 500 HR, Talent, Learning and Early Careers professionals with employer interviews and wider labour market evidence to explore how organisations can redesign their strategies for attracting, developing and retaining early career talent in a changing world of work. It concludes with CRF’s practical framework for building an effective early careers system that supports both organisational performance and long-term workforce capability. In this report, you’ll discover:

• Why the early careers market is changing and what the evidence says about employer demand.
• How AI is reshaping entry-level work and the capabilities organisations increasingly value.
• Why employers are placing greater emphasis on communication, judgment, adaptability and other durable human capabilities.
• How employers, education providers and government can work together to strengthen the transition from education into work.
• A practical six-part framework for designing, evaluating and improving your organisation’s early careers strategy.

Research Report >>

Session Slides >>