Young jobseekers shut out by experience-first hiring: 'AI training must expand'

"It is getting harder and harder to land a full-time job straight away, so we prepare for internships and work-experience programs — but even those are fiercely competitive."

Young jobseekers identified experience-first hiring as the root cause of their struggles in the labor market. They said internships and work-experience programs have become so competitive that even taking a first step into the workforce is a challenge. They also called for expanded AI skills training and stronger systems to connect education directly to employment.

The Youth Employment Hope Committee of the Economic, Social and Labor Council (ESLC) released the findings of its first "youth roundtable" on Tuesday. The forum, held Monday at the Seoul Youth Center Geumcheon Chunchun Building, brought together young people preparing to enter the job market, who shared their views on shifts in hiring and the direction of policy reform.

The forum was convened amid growing alarm over a deteriorating youth labor market. The youth employment rate stood at 43.8 percent in May, falling for five consecutive years since 2022, while the youth unemployment rate hit 7.2 percent — the highest in five years. The number of young people outside the labor force entirely reached about 4.128 million, up from the previous year.

Participants said they feel the barriers even before the job search begins in earnest. Each company demands different competencies and sets different hiring criteria, leaving candidates with an overwhelming amount to prepare. Rejections rarely come with feedback, making it difficult to know what to improve. They also said the longer the job search drags on, the heavier the financial burden becomes with no income coming in.

Above all, the expansion of experience-based hiring was repeatedly cited as the main obstacle blocking young people from entering the labor market.

Participants said they turn to internships and work-experience programs because full-time positions are out of reach, yet even those are intensely competitive — and completing them offers no guarantee of a job offer. Several voices described a vicious cycle: companies prefer experienced candidates who can hit the ground running, so new graduates cannot get hired without experience, and without a job they cannot gain the experience they need.

Young jobseekers also called for employment support suited to the AI era. They said AI's displacement of some jobs is unavoidable, making it all the more important how quickly young people can learn and apply the technology. Participants said training opportunities that make AI accessible to everyone should be expanded, along with vocational programs that build digital skills.

Government youth support projects received mixed reviews: participants said they provide some help but fall short when it comes to actually connecting young people with jobs. Resume-editing and career-exploration programs under the Youth Challenge Support Project were seen as useful for job preparation, but participants said the programs need to be run in ways that encourage more active engagement.

Proposals also called for vocational training programs such as K-Digital Training to go beyond instruction and strengthen links to internships and hiring. Short-term work-experience projects, participants said, should be structured to lead to full-time employment rather than remaining one-off experiences.

The young participants' vision of a good job went beyond a high salary. Those present said job security that allows them to plan for the future, and a work environment that guarantees work-life balance, matter most of all.

The ESLC's Youth Employment Hope Committee said it will continue social dialogue based on the opinions gathered at the roundtable, focusing on AI-oriented youth employment support, field-centered vocational training and expanded work-experience opportunities, improved working conditions for young employees at small and medium-sized enterprises, and support for the living stability of youth in regional areas.