Page 18 | Aibu for being increasingly worried about the job market?

gymboe · 2025-12-08T14:22:00+00:00

another threat of redundancy here. Business not going well and to be honest we are full steam ahead with AI. a quick search in my large town in south of England: - 5 x nhs jobs (4 of which I am not qualified for and one is really terrible pay as just three days per week) - school jobs: just three and very low pay - our high street is mostly made of charity shops and vape stores. Retail doesn’t offer what I want. - a big employer now hardly owns any office space. There are just a few jobs. I’m not qualified. I do have a degree but found myself in a specialised account/client mgmt type role. Pays around £50k. 10 years ago there were loads of these type of jobs, decent salary even if you had to start low, good career progression, hundreds of them and tonnes of temp agencies. And the nhs had loads of admin jobs. Not to mention school jobs being plentiful. where the hell have they all gone? this is a huge issue. Massive. I’m really worried.

TheCoralDeer · 10/12/2025 07:18

gymboe · 08/12/2025 14:26

I guess so. I mean it’s an account lead. Status calls, timelines, strategy, finance

Any possibly of becoming self employed/ consultant?

FlyingCatGirl · 10/12/2025 07:28

ThisTicklishFatball · 10/12/2025 00:29

There are nearly a million jobs available in the U.K., but the problem is there aren’t enough people to fill them.

In my industry, there’s a serious skills shortage—we’ve been advertising positions for a couple of years, yet there just aren’t enough qualified candidates. The industry is practically begging for people to join, but few are willing to gain the necessary qualifications, so job openings sit there collecting dust.

Anyone claiming the job market is dire right now clearly hasn’t been around long enough to know it’s been far worse before.

Edited

The jobs market is dire, job adverts like yours sitting empty are part of the problem because you are asking for qualifications and experience that no one has got! Or you expect all that incredible levels of qualifications and experience for a ridiculous salary. There's lots of jobs out there that people don't apply because the aaks are ridiculous! Why do you want to sit there with unfilled vacancies rather than be sensible about what you are asking for! Reduce the requirements and get off your backsides and offer some training and development. Your alarm bells should be ringing about your adverts!

247SylviaPlath · 10/12/2025 07:30

ThisTicklishFatball · 09/12/2025 18:34

We British people are being far too catastrophic.

Some of the comments on here read like the opening scene of a very low-budget sci-fi film where a blender becomes sentient and destroys Guildford.

AI isn’t about to steal your toddler, read your mind, or decide the fate of humanity based on the last thing you Googled (“why is my dishwasher screaming”). It’s software. Impressive, yes. Wildly overhyped in the press, absolutely. Dark overlord of civilisation? Not so much.

A few things to keep us all tethered to Earth:
AI can’t do anything without humans telling it what to do. It has the independence of a Labrador with a squeaky toy.
It makes mistakes — gloriously stupid ones — daily. If the robot apocalypse comes down to an algorithm that thinks the moon is a type of fruit, we’re safe.
The scariest thing in tech has never been AI… it’s still autocorrect.
Politicians and companies love hyping it up because it sounds futuristic and distracts from the fact they still can’t fix potholes.

Does AI need regulation? Yes. Should we think critically about how it’s used? Obviously. But the idea that civilisation is going to collapse because ChatGPT once wrote someone a haiku about beans… that’s giving it slightly too much credit.

It’s fine to be cautious, curious, even sceptical. Fear? That’s optional.

And for the posters predicting the end times — if we do end up in a Terminator situation, I for one am looking forward to seeing who tries to argue with the killer robot about parking restrictions and gets it to apologise. It’ll be a Mumsnetter. Always is.

People need to learn, adapt, grow, and make a living.

The mental health of young people is at an all-time low, partly due to a lack of motivation to research and figure out what they need to do to achieve their goals. Another factor is that their parents often fail to provide hope at home, relying on unverified stories instead of investigating the truth or learning how to support their children in reaching their aspirations. Young people see their parents scared and paralyzed, and they shouldn’t have to feel the same way.

I suggest people here chat with others from different countries. Talk to folks in richer and more developed nations if they’re concerned about AI. Honestly, it doesn’t even have to be a wealthy, highly developed country—you could connect with people from relatively richer third-world countries like Brazil and China, where I’m sure those earning money will keep doing what they’ve been doing to make more.

Some people who have been working in AI since it’s early development are starting to not just shout but scream from the rafters for people to listen to them…and others who used to warn about the dangers of AI development without unilateral global agreement on how it can be developed and used (Elon Musk) have given up and joined the race to “see how it ends”.

The link below is a think-piece / prophecy based on current knowledge of AI development and assumptions of timelines. As they say, it’s not a done deal, timelines could be different, human intervention could happen and change its course, but it makes for a dark read. I would genuinely not recommend reading it if you are truly anxious. There are some recent videos on diary of a CEO on YouTube talking about 2027 / AI which are worth a watch…I’m not recommending it as a channel (just to be clear, a lot of it is garbage) but a couple of very interesting discussions with people who have been in AI development and are scared for the future of all of us.

What I’m telling my almost grown kids is, we all need to live for today to some extent because tomorrow isn’t promised. That’s always been the case. But I would say that educating ourselves on what is happening within this field is essential because at some point, we all may need to stand up and hope our voices still count for something.

https://ai-2027.com/

AI 2027

A research-backed AI scenario forecast.

https://ai-2027.com

RainbowBagels · 10/12/2025 07:46

EasternStandard · 10/12/2025 06:54

What’s your industry @RealOliveTraybake?

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And @ThisTicklishFatball? It eould be useful to know the industries in case peoplecare able to train into them/ would be interested.

Friendlyfart · 10/12/2025 08:32

My DD graduated this summer with imho a degree that she’s never going to use. She had about 6 interviews for a retail job (in the end got two - one w a small chain and one by speculative application as it’s quite a niche area and she had prior experience). Years ago she would’ve got an in-house job w her degree, but now it’s all freelance so she’s gonna need balls to approach companies cold.

DS graduates this year doing a very challenging STEM degree so I really hope he can get a relevant role. He could go in to research or clinical role - not sure how AI has effected these.

I am glad that dh and I are crawling towards retirement age. He has his own company that trundles along and I work for him. Things are def becoming more automated now for him too.

XWKD · 10/12/2025 08:38

There's almost nothing that AI can't replace. The cost of robotics will save some things, but eventually machines will be able to do everything.

Southernecho · 10/12/2025 08:45

Ablondiebutagoody · 08/12/2025 14:36

Labour are taxing and regulating jobs out of existence, which will only increase the pace of AI adoption.

Unemployment rate is 5%, it was 8% just a few years ago.

5% unemployment is historically low, even grad employment rates are far higher than non grad.

A defence company near me has order books for the next 53 years and cannot get enough staff & AI will never be used, due to security concerns.

Increased regulation and protections are needed to prevent AI from destroying the work place..... You ve got it the wrong way round.

Look at PO when there is no employment law?

Southernecho · 10/12/2025 08:48

XWKD · 10/12/2025 08:38

There's almost nothing that AI can't replace. The cost of robotics will save some things, but eventually machines will be able to do everything.

There is plenty AI cannot replace & never will, there is a reason why AI stocks are falling in value and many industry leaders, even in tech, say its over hyped.

You ve been watching too many Terminator movies.

RealOliveTraybake · 10/12/2025 08:52

EasternStandard · 10/12/2025 06:54

What’s your industry @RealOliveTraybake?

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Aircraft maintenance

Imdunfer · 10/12/2025 08:56

Southernecho · 10/12/2025 08:45

Unemployment rate is 5%, it was 8% just a few years ago.

5% unemployment is historically low, even grad employment rates are far higher than non grad.

A defence company near me has order books for the next 53 years and cannot get enough staff & AI will never be used, due to security concerns.

Increased regulation and protections are needed to prevent AI from destroying the work place..... You ve got it the wrong way round.

Look at PO when there is no employment law?

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Increased regulation and protections are needed to prevent AI from destroying the work place..... You ve got it the wrong way round.

And what are we going to do when other countries have embraced it wholesale and put all our companies that could have use it but aren't allowed to out of business?

CandiedPrincess · 10/12/2025 09:00

The skills shortage in certain industries is real. Wasn't helped by Brexit.

Edited to add: And there are training programmes and qualifications but unfortunately they are not jobs that people see as desirable and certainly ones we struggle to recruit younger generations into. They all want comfy work from home jobs.

VaguelyAccountable · 10/12/2025 09:10

The job market is dire, you are right. Salaries are very low and nobody wants to pay for experience anymore. I have been looking (whilst employed) for well over a year. I have had some interviews but no success sadly. Employers have a plethora of candidates to choose from now so one really needs to stand out and if you are like me and struggle to sell yourself, then it is very very difficult. I was told that my 15 years in my industry wasn't enough for a junior, not very well-paid role.
I have had to pivot and am looking at care roles now as there are plenty of those jobs and an ageing population.

XWKD · 10/12/2025 09:14

Southernecho · 10/12/2025 08:48

There is plenty AI cannot replace & never will, there is a reason why AI stocks are falling in value and many industry leaders, even in tech, say its over hyped.

You ve been watching too many Terminator movies.

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No I haven't. I've been involved in AI for thirty years. The fact that there's an AI bubble doesn't say anything about the future of AI. It's not possible to know what to invest in, and people don't want to be left behind. It was the same with the .com bubble. I was in Sillicon Valley when that burst. Now look at it.

There's very little that can't be replaced when machines can do an adequate job cheaply.

MidnightMeltdown · 10/12/2025 10:05

CandiedPrincess · 10/12/2025 09:00

The skills shortage in certain industries is real. Wasn't helped by Brexit.

Edited to add: And there are training programmes and qualifications but unfortunately they are not jobs that people see as desirable and certainly ones we struggle to recruit younger generations into. They all want comfy work from home jobs.

Edited

The issue will be pay. There will be people who are willing to do any job if they are adequately compensated and training is offered. Obviously nobody is going to want a difficult/inconvenient/undesirable job for next to minimum wage, or not much more than they could get in benefits.

Employers need to wake up to this fact, or accept that they won’t be able to recruit. There’s a shocking level of entitlement in some industries, where employers expect to get people into undesirable jobs, for minimal pay. That’s why they can’t recruit.

It’s the workplace equivalent of offering a doer upper of a house needing loads of work, for the same price as a house needing no work.

TempestTost · 10/12/2025 10:46

ThisTicklishFatball · 10/12/2025 00:29

There are nearly a million jobs available in the U.K., but the problem is there aren’t enough people to fill them.

In my industry, there’s a serious skills shortage—we’ve been advertising positions for a couple of years, yet there just aren’t enough qualified candidates. The industry is practically begging for people to join, but few are willing to gain the necessary qualifications, so job openings sit there collecting dust.

Anyone claiming the job market is dire right now clearly hasn’t been around long enough to know it’s been far worse before.

Edited

I think a big part of the issue is that individuals are often not able to take significant time off to obtain qualifications. And unless they are sure of a job at the end of it, they don't want to.

Ultimately I think something like apprenticeship schemes, even for professional work, where the employer takes on the risk of investing in training, will be the way forward for many. I've seen this locally to me with carer jobs, where the company runs a program equivalent to the college one, for school bus drivers where they send people on their driver's course, and for car mechanics where a local company takes on students, fully trains them, and gives them their first set of tools.

It's something that an older person of someone with responsibilities can then do, and it's very appealing to young people coming out of school too.

Of course it's a risk for the company, they are then motivated to really look for good people. I tend to think that's not a bad thing however.

WhitegreeNcandle · 10/12/2025 10:52

CandiedPrincess · 10/12/2025 09:00

The skills shortage in certain industries is real. Wasn't helped by Brexit.

Edited to add: And there are training programmes and qualifications but unfortunately they are not jobs that people see as desirable and certainly ones we struggle to recruit younger generations into. They all want comfy work from home jobs.

Edited

This with bells on. Agriculture has loads of jobs. But it’s cold, dirty and unglamorous so few people want to do it.

TempestTost · 10/12/2025 10:56

RealOliveTraybake · 10/12/2025 08:52

Aircraft maintenance

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This is also a good industry to get into where I live in Canada. I know a few who have and were employed right away.

However.... at least here, compared to other trades, it is very expensive to train in, and costs twice what most other trades training does. And it's very competitive to get in.

My son thinks he wants to be an auto mechanic, I am going to try and get him to look into this program before he graduates!

MidnightMeltdown · 10/12/2025 11:14

WhitegreeNcandle · 10/12/2025 10:52

This with bells on. Agriculture has loads of jobs. But it’s cold, dirty and unglamorous so few people want to do it.

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It’s not the fact that it’s cold, dirty and unglamorous, it’s the fact that the pay is shit. Google tells me that average pay for an agricultural worker is 26k. Barely enough to live on, let alone buy a house etc.

WhitegreeNcandle · 10/12/2025 11:21

MidnightMeltdown · 10/12/2025 11:14

It’s not the fact that it’s cold, dirty and unglamorous, it’s the fact that the pay is shit. Google tells me that average pay for an agricultural worker is 26k. Barely enough to live on, let alone buy a house etc.

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Fair point. However, the supermarkets kind of dictate the pay (aka min wage). Quite often though you get a lot of overtime and a house for free on top.

MidnightMeltdown · 10/12/2025 11:37

WhitegreeNcandle · 10/12/2025 11:21

Fair point. However, the supermarkets kind of dictate the pay (aka min wage). Quite often though you get a lot of overtime and a house for free on top.

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A free house helps, but presumably it’s rented, not gifted, so if you lose your job or retire, then you also lose your home. It provides no security. That set up is only really suited to foreign workers who have a house abroad to retire to.

The thing is, things like farm work and care work are much harder jobs than supermarket jobs, and the pay needs to reflect that. Higher earners/middle managers wouldn’t do their jobs if they were paid the same as people in more junior positions. This is the same. It’s not that people aren’t willing to do the jobs, but they expect to be adequately compensated for the amount of work/responsibility that the job requires.

Irememberwhenitwasallfieldsroundhere · 10/12/2025 12:01

I think AI is more likely to lead to Idiocracy than Terminator, to use film analogies.

The market is terrible for a lot of reasons but AI really isn't the only one.

This government have made it unattractive to employ people by increasing NI

They are going to make it worse with upcoming legislation

Brexit was terrible for the UK economy (& no £350m a week for the NHS)

It's not easy to hire great people, there are plenty of lazy, entitled candidates

Here's more about Idiocracy

www.theguardian.com/culture/2021/jul/19/idiocracy-a-disturbingly-prophetic-look-at-the-future-of-america-and-our-era-of-stupidity

Southernecho · 10/12/2025 12:15

Imdunfer · 10/12/2025 08:56

Increased regulation and protections are needed to prevent AI from destroying the work place..... You ve got it the wrong way round.

And what are we going to do when other countries have embraced it wholesale and put all our companies that could have use it but aren't allowed to out of business?

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Uh?

No one is going to embrace AI and allow unemployment rates of 60% or 70% ..... its actually the countries that can use AI and protect worker rights at the same time that will do well.

IF (and it is a big IF) AI is going to decimate the work place, then it will need regulation or we will face mass unemployment, societal break down and huge poverty & that will apply to all countries.

WhitegreeNcandle · 10/12/2025 12:16

MidnightMeltdown · 10/12/2025 11:37

A free house helps, but presumably it’s rented, not gifted, so if you lose your job or retire, then you also lose your home. It provides no security. That set up is only really suited to foreign workers who have a house abroad to retire to.

The thing is, things like farm work and care work are much harder jobs than supermarket jobs, and the pay needs to reflect that. Higher earners/middle managers wouldn’t do their jobs if they were paid the same as people in more junior positions. This is the same. It’s not that people aren’t willing to do the jobs, but they expect to be adequately compensated for the amount of work/responsibility that the job requires.

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I get your point it doesn’t provide for retirement but all our full time employees live in our houses rent free, free council tax, gas and water and have saved up and bought their own houses so when they retire they have somewhere to go.

Agree with you that farm workers should be paid more but people already struggle with food costs and we are restricted by the supermarkets as to what we can pay.

CandiedPrincess · 10/12/2025 12:21

MidnightMeltdown · 10/12/2025 10:05

The issue will be pay. There will be people who are willing to do any job if they are adequately compensated and training is offered. Obviously nobody is going to want a difficult/inconvenient/undesirable job for next to minimum wage, or not much more than they could get in benefits.

Employers need to wake up to this fact, or accept that they won’t be able to recruit. There’s a shocking level of entitlement in some industries, where employers expect to get people into undesirable jobs, for minimal pay. That’s why they can’t recruit.

It’s the workplace equivalent of offering a doer upper of a house needing loads of work, for the same price as a house needing no work.

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It's not just pay. It's not as simple as that. The careers are not attractive enough. How many kids actually leave school thinking "I want to go and work on a freezing cold construction site", the pay isn't actually that bad in a lot of cases as labourers are hard to come by as many workers went back to their home countries.

CandiedPrincess · 10/12/2025 12:22

MidnightMeltdown · 10/12/2025 11:14

It’s not the fact that it’s cold, dirty and unglamorous, it’s the fact that the pay is shit. Google tells me that average pay for an agricultural worker is 26k. Barely enough to live on, let alone buy a house etc.

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You're so wrong. It's only a certain type of person that wants to do that job, regardless of pay.