UK graduates face tough jobs market as AI transforms recruitment

Competition for graduate jobs has reached unprecedented levels, with the Institute of Student Employers (ISE) reporting an average of 140 applications per role. In total, over 1m applications were submitted for nearly 17,000 graduate vacancies in 2023-24, marking a 59% increase from the previous year. Stephen Isherwood, joint chief executive of ISE, said: “As AI makes it easier to apply for jobs, volumes are pushed up and quality down, creating more rejections.” Visa rule changes have further strained the market for international students. HSBC, Deloitte and KPMG have all reportedly withdrawn offers to foreign graduates this year due to the changes.