The Decline of Junior Roles: AI to Blame

A noticeable trend of declining junior positions is emerging, which aligns with international observations. Global studies by organizations such as the World Economic Forum (WEF) and McKinsey have long predicted that AI would most significantly impact entry-level positions that are based on routine tasks.

When looking directly at the data from our portal regarding positions suitable for graduates, we find that they are indeed declining. Comparing the first eight months of 2025 with the same period in 2024, we see a drop of approximately 15%. Interestingly, this contrasts with 2023 and 2024, when the proportion actually increased by 41%. The analysis was conducted on a sample of 241,715 positions.

HR professionals explain this trend by noting that the AI boom did not have a significant impact in 2023 and 2024. In particular, in 2024, companies were hiring juniors because they needed them after paused recruitments during the uncertain COVID and post-COVID years. The adoption of AI in many companies took some time, and its overall expansion seems to have really taken off this year. It is expected that this trend will likely continue for several more years until the market stabilizes.

The sectors most affected are those where a large portion of the work involves processing information, data, and creating standardized content. In addition to the already mentioned IT companies and customer support, the following industries are also impacted:

• Information Technology: Junior programmers, coders, and testers whose tasks (writing basic code, debugging, testing) are largely being taken over by AI tools like GitHub Copilot.
• Marketing and Communications: Creating basic content for social media, writing blog articles, conducting SEO analyses, and market research are tasks that AI handles quickly and effectively.
• Administration and Office Support: Document processing, data entry, and basic reporting are activities highly susceptible to automation.
• Finance and Accounting: AI is taking over basic financial analysis, invoice processing, and routine accounting operations.
• Legal Services: AI is massively speeding up case law research and the preparation of standard contracts, affecting the positions of legal assistants and trainees.

Companies Confirm the Redundancy of Junior Roles

Especially in software companies, many junior coders and testers are being replaced by AI. We’re talking about a decrease of several dozen percent in recruitment for entry-level positions. A similar situation exists in many call centers, customer service centers, and banks, where, after transferring repetitive tasks to AI, juniors or less-qualified employees are no longer needed. However, this situation also creates new demand for employees who can work with AI, are able to interpret and develop results, and have an innovative approach. Here, young people have an advantage, as they literally grow up with modern digital technologies.

Education Must Change

The current trend is alarming, especially as education has not yet adequately reflected the massive rise of AI. Gradually, this development could lead to higher youth unemployment, which, fortunately, is still relatively low in the Czech Republic compared to the global average. It stands at around 9%. In comparison, Spain has approximately 25%, and Italy around 19%.

It is clear that the current development requires a change in education, taking AI into account and ensuring that students actively use it, thus becoming ‘mediators’ for employers. AI assistants will then complement these employees where they lack skills.

For many, a so-called skill gap will arise, and the labor market could become polarized. The demand for junior employees who are proficient in AI tools will grow even higher, but after some time, the supply may decrease—some students will never go through the ‘junior’ phase, skipping it and becoming seniors directly. Before companies and educational institutions adapt to this shift, it could create shockwaves across the market.

_{Taken from HRNews, 8.10. 2025}