For decades, millions of young Indians were sold a straightforward dream: get a college degree, and secure a stable, well-paying office job. That foundational promise of modern education and career planning is now rapidly falling apart. A stark new warning from one of the world's top hiring experts confirms that the pipeline from campus to corporate cubicle is breaking, with artificial intelligence quietly eroding the very entry-level roles graduates depend on.
The Broken Promise: AI's Quiet Takeover of Entry-Level Roles
Sander van ’t Noordende, the global CEO of Randstad, the planet's largest talent company, has issued a blunt assessment. Speaking to Fortune, he urged young people to seriously reconsider the value of taking on substantial student loans to train for professions that are transforming at lightning speed. Randstad places about half a million workers into jobs weekly, giving its leader an unmatched view of global labour trends, and the outlook is troubling.
"We all grew up with our parents saying, 'go do something in college or university and then do something in an office,'" van ’t Noordende stated. "That path that used to work for a long time is starting to break." The damage is no longer theoretical. Graduates are finding it increasingly difficult to land jobs, especially in fields like marketing, communications, and design—once considered safe gateways to a corporate career.
"You already see that with graduates finding it harder to find a job," he said, pointing directly to AI's capabilities. Tech leaders have long cautioned that AI can now handle tasks traditionally given to junior staff. A landmark Stanford University study found AI is having a "significant and disproportionate impact" on Gen Z workers, particularly those seeking their first professional role. Some projections warn AI could drastically reduce white-collar positions by 2030.
Passion vs. Pragmatism: New Advice for a New Economy
In a controversial shift from popular wisdom, van ’t Noordende challenged the classic "follow your passion" advice given to students. With the white-collar job market tightening, he argued this mantra is no longer sufficient. "No," he asserted. "Learn a craft or a trade or a skill or a profession where you can make a good living and provide for yourself and your family. That is much better advice than follow your passion."
This pragmatic view is gaining traction in policy circles. The UK government, for instance, recently announced a £750 million (roughly $965 million) investment into apprenticeships. This initiative aims to funnel tens of thousands of unemployed youth into sectors with future demand, such as hospitality, retail, and artificial intelligence itself.
Van ’t Noordende did not completely write off higher education. For students committed to university, he emphasised that STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) disciplines remain critical. He noted that China produces science and engineering graduates at nearly double the rate of the US and parts of Europe. However, for those holding degrees that are losing relevance, his message was clear and unsentimental: retrain. "Learning new skills is always good," he advised. "Look around you, and where you see the opportunities that match with your skills and your background, go there."
Redefining Success in the Age of AI
The Randstad CEO urged a fundamental rethink of what constitutes career success or failure. Moving from an office job to becoming a plumber, electrician, nurse, or technician is not a step down, he argued—it is a smart adaptation. The real error is clinging to outdated expectations in a labour market that has fundamentally changed.
For a generation raised on the belief that a degree guarantees dignity and stability, this adjustment is profoundly difficult. Millennials are still grappling with massive student debt for careers whose prospects have narrowed. Meanwhile, Gen Z is entering a workforce where the first rungs of the corporate ladder are disappearing. As AI reshapes industries faster than education systems can adapt, one reality becomes unavoidable: survival in the modern economy depends less on prestigious credentials and more on the agility to learn, unlearn, and rebuild one's skills continually.
