Express Employment Professionals’ America Employed and Canada Employed press series explore the state of employment in North America, including everything from hiring expectations and HR challenges to job seekers’ optimism and shrinking the skills gap. Learn about the latest insights uncovered in a recent Express Employment Professionals-Harris Poll survey.
Entry-level work has long been the first rung on the economic ladder, but new research suggests that rung is slipping away, as more than 4 in 5 hiring managers say entry-level jobs require candidates to possess more skills than in the past, and 82% of job seekers agree.
While entry-level work isn’t disappearing, the availability and accessibility of true entry-level roles are changing dramatically.
A new white paper, “Sounding the Alarm: The Narrowing Path to Work,” examines how higher skill demands, automation, and fewer true entry‑level openings are compressing the bottom of the labor market and weakening the foundation of future talent pipelines.
The Path to Workforce Readiness
Drawing on national survey data from The Harris Poll and insights from Express franchise owners across the U.S. and Canada, the white paper also outlines practical steps organizations can take to protect and modernize entry-level opportunities, including:
- Preserving true entry-level roles designed for zero to two years of experience
- Aligning job requirements with real training and supervision
- Maintaining early career learning as routine tasks are automated
- Expanding internships, short term roles, and varied assignments that build foundational skills
Download the full white paper to see why the rapid shift in entry-level work demands action now from employers and job seekers alike.
“Entry-level work is evolving, and employees and employers need to be aware of the rapid shift so they are not left behind,” said Bob Funk Jr., CEO, President, and Chairman of Express Employment International. “It is right to sound the alarm that we are in a world of dramatic change, but fears that entry-level work will disappear entirely are misguided. From our perspective, the challenge before us is twofold: job seekers need to reset their expectations and employers need to remember how critical entry-level work is—both to their success and the economy’s success.”
Read more about the latest employment insights in America Employed at ExpressPros.com and Canada Employed at ExpressPros.ca.
