WORK180 coalition targets one million youth pathways

WORK180 has launched an Early Careers Coalition with Schneider Electric, Tilt Renewables and Populous, aiming to open one million career pathways for young Australians by 2032.

Research by the career platform found artificial intelligence is already shaping how young Australians think about work. Among 200 people aged 16 to 25 surveyed across metropolitan, regional and remote Australia, 58% said AI had influenced a career decision in the past year, while 69% said they were at least moderately concerned about its effect on their job prospects.

The findings come against a weak backdrop for younger workers. Australian Bureau of Statistics data cited by WORK180 put youth unemployment at 10.7%, more than double the national unemployment rate of 4.4%. More than one in four young jobseekers surveyed also said they had been looking for work for more than 12 months.

Students appear to be among the most affected. Half said they were considering switching fields, while concern was highest among people aged 23 to 25, with almost half saying they were very or extremely concerned about their future career opportunities.

AI and jobs

The research points to growing anxiety over whether technology will narrow entry routes into industries that have traditionally absorbed younger workers. It also suggests employers may need to explain more clearly where jobs are emerging as automation changes recruitment and skills demand.

One respondent captured that uncertainty in a comment included in the findings.

"I think AI scares most people because the predictions vary so much on what job losses will look like - nobody really knows what to expect"

Another linked AI directly to reduced opportunities in creative work.

"I feel like I'm losing work opportunities to people using AI for design instead of hiring a real artist like myself. I fear I've chosen the wrong career path"

The coalition is intended to strengthen routes from education into employment. Founding members have committed to making early-career hiring part of annual workforce planning, publishing clearer entry and training routes, engaging directly with young people, and offering structured induction and mentoring for new starters.

Gemma Lloyd, co-founder and chief executive officer of WORK180, said the issue reflects a wider breakdown between study choices and labour market demand.

"Young people are choosing careers with a new question hanging over them: will this job still exist by the time I graduate?" Lloyd said.

She said the problem lies between rising concern among young people and persistent employer complaints about skills shortages.

"For generations, we've told young people that if they study hard, get qualified and choose a career, there will be a pathway into work at the other end. AI is starting to disrupt that promise.

Our research shows AI is already influencing career decisions for more than half of the young Australians we surveyed. At the same time, we have employers struggling to find people with the skills they need.

We have young Australians worried there won't be jobs for them and employers saying they can't find the people they need. Something in the pathway between education and employment isn't working.

The Early Careers Coalition is about bringing business, educators and government together to fix that disconnect and give young Australians much greater visibility of where the opportunities are," Lloyd said.

Skills mismatch

The coalition is launching as employers across construction, manufacturing and energy continue to report labour shortages, even as younger workers struggle to secure stable footholds in the market. WORK180 said apprenticeship commencements have been falling, adding to concerns that established entry channels are weakening just as technology is changing job requirements.

Figures cited by the organisation show the World Economic Forum has predicted that 39% of jobs will fundamentally change by 2030. That has sharpened debate over whether AI will eliminate junior roles, reshape them, or create different forms of entry-level work that are not yet well understood by school leavers and graduates.

Lloyd said a lack of visibility over non-traditional pathways is part of the problem.

"A young person can't aspire to a career they don't know exists," Lloyd said.

"There are thousands of opportunities across energy, infrastructure, advanced manufacturing, technology and skilled industries, but we need to do a much better job of showing young people what those careers actually look like and how they can get into them.

This isn't about telling young Australians not to go to university. It's about making sure they can see the full range of options before making one of the biggest decisions of their lives," Lloyd said.

Schneider Electric said employers need to play a larger part in helping younger people understand where jobs are likely to emerge. Katherine Henry, vice president human resources Pacific Zone at Schneider Electric, said the shift towards more digital and automated systems is changing the mix of skills companies need.

"At Schneider Electric, we are acutely aware that many of the challenges surrounding a more electric, digital and automated energy future are yet to be solved," Henry said.

She said the company's decision to join the coalition builds on its existing early-career hiring programs.

"Joining the Early Careers Pledge reinforces our long-standing commitment to developing future talent. Through our internship, graduate and apprenticeship programs, we're creating meaningful pathways and experiences that help young people build the skills and capabilities needed to thrive in the workforce of tomorrow and contribute to a more sustainable future," Henry said.