Join/Renew
.%20Employers%20are%20eliminating%20many%20early-career%20roles%20while%20expecting%20job-ready%20candidates%20with%20skills%20they%20haven%E2%80%99t%20had%20a%20chance%20to%20build.%20Meanwhile,%20CEOs%20are%20speaking%20out:%20AI%20is%20changing%20the%20jobs%20they%E2%80%99re%20hiring%20for%20%E2%80%94%20and%20the%20ones%20they%E2%80%99re%20eliminating.%20%20This%20session%20unpacks%20the%20latest%20data%20and%20showcases%20how%20short-term,%20inclusive%20experiential%20learning%20can%20equip%20talent%20%E2%80%94%20especially%20from%20HBCUs,%20MSIs%20and%20first-generation%20backgrounds%20%E2%80%94%20to%20thrive%20in%20a%20disrupted%20job%20market.)
.%20Employers%20are%20eliminating%20many%20early-career%20roles%20while%20expecting%20job-ready%20candidates%20with%20skills%20they%20haven%E2%80%99t%20had%20a%20chance%20to%20build.%20Meanwhile,%20CEOs%20are%20speaking%20out:%20AI%20is%20changing%20the%20jobs%20they%E2%80%99re%20hiring%20for%20%E2%80%94%20and%20the%20ones%20they%E2%80%99re%20eliminating.%20%20This%20session%20unpacks%20the%20latest%20data%20and%20showcases%20how%20short-term,%20inclusive%20experiential%20learning%20can%20equip%20talent%20%E2%80%94%20especially%20from%20HBCUs,%20MSIs%20and%20first-generation%20backgrounds%20%E2%80%94%20to%20thrive%20in%20a%20disrupted%20job%20market.)
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Summary
More college graduates are struggling to convert their degrees into meaningful careers, and the challenge is growing. In 2025, unemployment among new grads hit 6.6%, the highest rate in a decade outside the pandemic, even as national unemployment remains under 4%. Over half of recent grads are underemployed a year after graduation, with even higher rates for first-gen and historically marginalized students (Burning Glass/Strada, 2024).
Entry-level roles are shifting fast. AI is replacing tasks once assigned to early-career hires, and 73% of CEOs say it is changing how and who they hire (Fortune, 2025). Yet expectations for new hires have not changed, leaving many students unprepared and unsupported in the transition from college to career.
Led by Kim Churches, president and CEO of The Washington Center, this session offers a data-driven, solutions-focused roadmap for educators, employers, and career services professionals.
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Presenters
