AI isn’t replacing graduates, it’s fast-tracking them

The challenge for HR leaders isn’t to protect old jobs, but to build new, more meaningful pathways for talent, writes Anna Volkova.

For decades, the first job out of university has been a predictable rite of passage. Graduates, armed with fresh knowledge and ambition, were often funnelled into roles heavy on administrative grunt work. Endless data entry, tedious report generation, and scheduling meetings – all under the guise of “paying their dues”.

Now that generative AI has entered the scene, the prevailing narrative is one of fear. Every week, there’s a new headline warning that these exact administrative tasks are the first on the chopping block, and along with them are those entry-level roles. Meanwhile, PwC Australia reports job postings for occupations with higher AI exposure have grown at a slower pace since 2013; with a significant gap widening after 2021, this concern seems justified.

But what if I told you what’s happening on the ground isn’t quite what people think? New research from HiBob reveals a surprising shift. Instead of being replaced, graduates are being fast-tracked. A majority (60 per cent) of Australian employees believe recent graduates can now leapfrog junior positions, and nearly a third (29 per cent) of companies are already hiring them directly into higher-level roles.

This shift isn’t just technological; it’s cultural. As leaders, we need to design AI into our organisations in a way that amplifies human strengths, curiosity, creativity, and collaboration, rather than simply automating what already exists.

So what do HR leaders do with this knowledge? Here’s a three-step guide you can follow to kickstart your journey as a champion of fresh talent entering the workforce.

1. Scrap administrative grunt work

The traditional model of having graduates spend their first year on repetitive, low-impact tasks is no longer viable. In an era where such tasks can be automated, using bright new minds for mundane work is a critical waste of potential and a drain on morale.

We must shift the mindset from “paying your dues” to “making an impact” early on. This means onboarding graduates directly into projects that require problem solving and strategic input, using AI as their productivity partner. Our approach follows this ethos, as AI should be a strategic tool to unlock human potential, build resilient teams, and enable meaningful career growth. The “why” is simple: when AI takes care of the repetitive, people can focus on what truly matters – building skills, making decisions, and connecting with purpose.

2. Audit and rebuild jobs around high-value skills

This transition requires a deliberate redesign of work. HR leaders must take the lead with a practical audit of existing entry-level and junior job descriptions. The first step is to identify the core repetitive tasks – data entry, scheduling, basic report generation – and determine which can be streamlined or fully handled by AI tools. This is also the moment to move beyond static job descriptions and start thinking in terms of skills. By understanding the specific capabilities within each role – both human and technical – HR leaders can better align people with the work that drives the most value. The future workforce will be built around evolving skills, not fixed titles.

The second, more crucial step is to reconstruct these roles to focus on skills that AI complements but cannot replace: critical analysis, creative problem solving, and complex communication. For example, a marketing assistant role should evolve from manually scheduling social media posts to using AI to analyse engagement data and propose creative campaign improvements. The focus shifts from the task to the outcome, empowering the graduate to operate as a strategist from day one.

3. Make AI literacy a core competency

If we are to rebuild roles around a human–AI partnership, then AI literacy is no longer a fundamental competency for all knowledge workers. Businesses must start treating it as such from the very first interaction with a candidate.

This is already becoming common practice. Australia’s largest tech companies, like Canva, are openly encouraging the use of AI in their interview processes. To follow their lead, HR leaders should update interviews to actively screen for this skill. Ask questions like, “Tell me about a time you used a generative AI tool to approach a complex university project. What was the outcome?” or pose a real business challenge and ask, “How would you leverage AI to tackle this efficiently and effectively?”

Beyond traditional questions, practical, scenario-based assessments where candidates use AI tools to solve a problem are invaluable. This approach shows not just what a candidate knows, but how they think and operate in a modern, tech-augmented workplace.

But AI literacy shouldn’t stop with new graduates. Leaders must also hone their own fluency – understanding what AI can and can’t do, asking better questions, and creating psychologically safe spaces for experimentation. The way leaders talk about and model AI use sets the tone for how confidently the rest of the organisation embraces it.

The future of work

The conversation has shifted from obsolescence to evolution. HR leaders now have a generational opportunity to redefine the entry-level role, transforming it from a trial of endurance into a launchpad for impact.

The challenge for HR leaders isn’t to protect old jobs, but to build new, more meaningful pathways for talent. By redesigning roles, evolving recruitment, and trusting graduates with strategic work from the start, businesses can build a truly future-ready workforce.

The future of work will belong to the organisations that invest in resilience, adaptability, and lifelong learning – the human skills that AI cannot replicate. AI is changing how we start our careers, but it’s also reminding us what endures: creativity, empathy, and the drive to make an impact. Our role as leaders is to make sure those strengths shine and are supported, not overshadowed, by technology.

Anna Volkova is the head of people and culture APJ at HiBob.