The number of graduate job openings has seen a dramatic decrease, plummeting by nearly 50% in the past year, according to new figures released by jobs website Adzuna. In July, only 8,383 graduate vacancies were listed, a significant drop from 15,397 recorded during the same period last year. This marks the lowest number of graduate roles available since Adzuna began tracking this data in 2016.

The decline reflects a broader trend of employers scaling back on entry-level positions, with businesses attributing the reduction to escalating operational costs, including increases in national insurance contributions and minimum wage hikes. These factors have made hiring, particularly for junior staff, more expensive.

Adzuna's data also indicates a rise in competition across all job levels. In July, there was an average of 2.14 job seekers for every vacancy, up from 1.93 a year earlier. Many young people have voiced frustration, reporting applications for hundreds of jobs with no response and noting the increasing use of artificial intelligence in screening candidates.

The implications of this sharp decline in graduate roles are significant for the UK's youth employment landscape. Official figures show the youth unemployment rate (for 16-to-24-year-olds) stood at 16.2% in the three months to March 2026, with over one million young people currently not in education, employment, or training (Neet).

Andrew Hunter, co-founder of Adzuna, stated that employers have not yet found a compelling reason to significantly increase hiring for recent graduates. He highlighted a peak in graduate roles in 2017, when over 55,800 vacancies were listed on the Adzuna website, more than six times the current figure.

While graduate positions have dwindled, some sectors have seen an increase in vacancies, including travel, teaching, and construction. Conversely, areas such as healthcare, nursing, hospitality, and logistics have posted fewer openings.

This situation is being addressed by former government minister Alan Milburn, who is leading a review into the youth unemployment crisis. Milburn has previously pointed to a shrinking supply of entry-level and part-time jobs, which have traditionally been filled by younger workers and students. Many university graduates also contend with mounting student debt, adding to the economic pressures they face.

In an effort to foster job creation and training opportunities, Prime Minister Andy Burnham has introduced new requirements for companies bidding on public contracts, mandating that they demonstrate how they will support employment and skills development. This policy shift aims to encourage businesses to invest in future workforces, though its impact on the graduate job market remains to be seen.