The job market for entry-level workers in the UK hasn't been this tough in years
Graduate job vacancies in the UK have fallen to their lowest levels since 2016, according to data from Adzuna. The decline is attributed to a sluggish economy, rising business costs, and increased competition for fewer available entry-level roles.
Why it matters
The shrinking entry-level job market poses significant economic challenges for recent university graduates and reflects broader instability in the UK labor market.
Graduate job postings in the UK hit their lowest levels in a decade, said job-matching platform Adzuna. Richard Baker / In Pictures via Getty Images UK graduate job vacancies fell 45.6% in July, hitting their lowest since April 2016. Adzuna reports a decline in entry-level jobs, with increased competition for fewer openings. AI and economic challenges are reshaping entry-level opportunities, impacting graduate roles. The UK job market is looking grim for people fresh out of university. According to the latest UK Job Market Report from job-matching platform Adzuna, the company's index — which aggregates online listings from more than 1,000 sources — counted an average of 8,383 live UK graduate vacancies in July. That's down 45.6% from July 2025 and the lowest level since Adzuna launched the monthly series in April 2016. The figure has collapsed from more than 55,000 at its mid-2017 peak.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in