Jess Kelly

Is that ringing true in what you're seeing?

Yeah, and I think it's funny for kids who are about to face into the leaving right now.

It is increasingly difficult to know what to put down on the CAO form.

I remember when I was not long out of college, all the conversations around me were, you should have done programming, you should have been a programmer, that's where the future lies.

And now we're hearing that a lot of those jobs are being targeted or replaced or augmented or whatever language you want to use by AI.

It's very difficult to kind of look into a crystal ball and see...

what the best or most valuable degree is going to be in five years' time.

I've been reading some research that shows maybe an apprenticeship, which sometimes isn't looked upon as favourably, could be the way to go.

So, again, if we're looking at this time next year and we're having this conversation about your 2027 research and so on, is there any indication as to how dramatic the trends will be in terms of difference from this year, if you get what I mean?

Like, are we on a trajectory or is it a bit of a Ronan Keating roller coaster where you just don't know where you're going to go next?

In terms of the disruption and the displacement by AI, is this an argument for workers to engage in that lifelong learning process?

Because even if you are displaced by AI, if you can show that you have...

either through your company or off your own bat, engaged in some further education or further upskilling, you're more of an asset and you're showing, as you said, those kind of softer skills of a bit of cop-on and initiative.

It's a more attractive prospect for a potential employer.

Yeah, no, for sure.

And I'm a huge advocate for it again, just for expanding your own horizons and keeping yourself engaged and your brain engaged and all the rest.

And I want to talk a little bit about the job application process, because I know a few people who are going through it at the moment.

They're kind of sniffing out opportunities.

They're spending a huge amount of time looking at really motivational, inspirational posts on LinkedIn by companies who are announcing hires online.

They then submit applications on the form that's suggested on these platforms and then getting auto replies within six seconds saying no.