The share of entry-level positions in the Dutch job market has fallen by half over the past three years, from more than 20 percent to just 10.3 percent of total vacancies. This emerges from an analysis by labour market research firm Intelligence Group, reported by Het Parool. The decline is most pronounced in sectors where AI adoption is accelerating, such as IT, design, marketing and legal services.

In the IT sector alone, nearly 70 percent of vacancies for junior web developers and app programmers disappeared within a year. Entry-level roles in graphic design, multimedia design, advertising and marketing also declined by around 50 percent. These roles typically involve routine and preparatory tasks, which are increasingly automated by AI systems.

Labour market experts point to AI as a significant contributing factor. Tasks traditionally assigned to junior staff, such as data entry, report analysis and basic assessments, can now be handled efficiently by AI. For organisations facing economic uncertainty and rising costs, reducing junior hiring is often a less painful cost-cutting measure than layoffs.

Recent graduates are bearing the brunt of this shift. Fields that once offered relatively secure entry points, such as law, are seeing junior roles disappear as AI tools take over document review and analysis. International data suggest this trend can lead to broader structural challenges, including rising unemployment among highly educated workers.

Experts warn of long-term consequences. A difficult start to a career can negatively affect long-term employment prospects and earnings. At the same time, organisations risk hollowing out their talent pipelines, making it harder to fill senior roles in the future. From an Amsterdam AI perspective, this development highlights that AI is driving not only a technological transformation, but also a profound social and economic shift that calls for new approaches to education, entry-level work and talent development.