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The value of entry-level work has long been enthused about in HR circles, particularly when it comes to the foundational skills employees develop early in their careers.
With the ongoing progress of AI into the workforce, particularly its effect on some of the more basic admin tasks, entry-level positions and early careers are the subject of much discussion right now.
Employers are at pains to point out that their use of AI is not an alternative to any early careers opportunities and that they are very much the place to come to launch yourself into the world of work.
Against that backdrop, McDonalds has built a new campaign around first job experiences, in an effort to put early career skills back into the conversation.
“Let’s be real: first jobs don’t get the credit they deserve,” said the firm. “Even if it didn’t make your resume or LinkedIn, that first gig gave you skills that helped build your career. Babysitting three picky eaters? Problem-solving unlocked. Taking orders during the lunch rush? Teamwork leveled up. And turns out, those are the exact skills employers are looking for.”
Linked to the recent Employee Appreciation Day the firm has launched the First Job Confessional - a reality TV-inspired campaign, fronted by personality Olandria Carthen, where fans can tell their first job stories and the skills they picked up along the way in a confessional booth.
The booth is available in a selection of cities, starting in New York, then Austin, Pittsburgh and Chicago, in March, April and July respectively.
It is designed to look like a McDonald’s ordering kiosk, but instead of picking a meal, you record your first job story for the opportunity to receive a $15 McDonald’s gift card. Or it can be done online by posting a story using #FirstJobConfessional and the video might feature on the fast food giant’s YouTube channel.
Early work as a training ground
Campaign messaging linked to the initiative also emphasizes the structured development opportunities that early roles can provide and leans into the McDonald's '1 in 8' community of alumni, based around the fact that one in eight Americans started their working life in McDonalds.
“At McDonald’s, we know the first shift can shift everything. With training programs, education support, and clear pathways to leadership, Crew members can grow within the Golden Arches or carry what they’ve learned into tech, healthcare, education and beyond. 1 in 8 Americans have the receipts – from time management and communication to collaboration, the skills gained here can take you anywhere.”
“The 1 in 8 is a community of current and former Crew members who have worked at a McDonald’s restaurant. Whether their career continues within the Golden Arches or beyond, the 1 in 8 platform celebrates approximately 40 million past and present Crew who make up our diverse network of 1 in 8ers nationwide."
The promotion also shows the importance of service sector employers, which have historically functioned as some of the largest providers of early career experience in the US labor market.
Research into early careers impact
Stanford University’s recent Canaries in the Coalmine report on the effects of AI on employment points out six facts about its impact on early careers in particular.
1. Early-career employment is falling in AI-exposed occupations Employment among workers aged 22–25 has declined significantly in occupations most exposed to generative AI, including software development and customer support. In contrast, employment levels for more experienced workers in those same occupations have remained stable or continued to grow. Similar divergence appears across many AI-exposed professions, suggesting that early-career workers are bearing the earliest labour-market impact of AI adoption.
2. Overall employment is growing, but not for young workers Despite continued growth in total employment across the economy, job growth for workers aged 22–25 has stagnated since late 2022. In occupations with high AI exposure, employment for this age group fell by roughly 6% between late 2022 and September 2025, while employment for workers aged 35–49 increased by around 6–9%. In less exposed occupations, employment growth was more evenly distributed across age groups, suggesting that slowing employment prospects for younger workers are linked primarily to AI-exposed sectors rather than broader labour market weakness.
3. Automation reduces entry-level jobs, augmentation does not The employment impact of AI differs depending on how the technology is used. Occupations in which AI is primarily used to automate tasks show clear declines in entry-level employment. By contrast, occupations where AI is used to augment human work show little evidence of similar job losses and in some cases continued growth.
4. The decline persists even after accounting for other effects The decline in employment for younger workers remains evident even consideration of other factors that could explain the pattern. When researchers accounted for changes affecting entire firms - such as economic cycles or industry-wide shifts - young workers in the most AI-exposed occupations still experienced a relative decline in employment compared with workers in less exposed roles.
5. Adjustment is happening through job numbers, not wages The labour-market effects of AI appear to be visible mainly in employment levels rather than wages. While job numbers for younger workers in AI-exposed roles have fallen, salary trends show little systematic difference across age groups or exposure levels. This pattern may reflect wage rigidity, where firms reduce hiring rather than cutting pay.
6. The pattern passes the stress test The trends are not limited to tech sector jobs, nor are they explained by remote-work exposure or outsourcing. They also do not appear in earlier data before the rapid adoption of generative AI tools around 2022–23. Taken together, it strengthens the case that the decline in entry-level employment is associated with the emergence and spread of generative AI technologies.
