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AI is thinning entry-level jobs that traditionally helped graduates launch their careers.

Career preparation must begin during college, not after students receive their degrees.

Internships and apprenticeships can bridge the gap between college and a career.

The traditional entry-level position, long a starting point for college graduates to launch their careers, is beginning to disappear. As artificial intelligence (AI) reshapes the workforce, the entry-level career ladder that once provided new graduates with a pathway into their professions is becoming increasingly narrow.

As a result, higher education must be prepared to respond by providing students with more opportunities to gain meaningful work experience before they graduate. Whether you’re coming out with a business degree or a law degree, making that transition into a career is increasingly challenging and, in many cases, disappearing. For that reason, the college graduates of 2026 are finding it harder to kick-start their careers. It is this new reality that is pushing colleges and universities to think differently about how students move from earning a degree to beginning a career.

Colleges and universities are placing greater emphasis on the connection between academic programs and career outcomes. Career readiness is increasingly being viewed as something that should begin when students enter college rather than something addressed as graduation approaches. The California State University system's new student success framework reflects........

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