Full Breakdown
CUNY Graduate Confronts a Shrinking Job Market Amid AI Surge
7/10/2026, 1:00:50 PM
A First-Generation Graduate’s Outlook
Damir Shavkatov, a 22-year-old first-generation graduate of Brooklyn College, entered his sixth summer internship in New York City after stints with a state senator’s office and a Fortune 500 firm. Despite a résumé that “could make a college student jealous,” he observes rising unemployment among young degree holders and the disruptive potential of an artificial-intelligence boom, leaving him uncertain about his prospects for a stable, middle-class life.
Context: Rising Youth Unemployment and Technological Change
The article points to a broader trend of increasing joblessness for recent college graduates nationwide, compounded by rapid AI advancements that are reshaping demand for entry-level talent. This environment intensifies anxiety for graduates from public institutions that traditionally serve as pathways to economic mobility.
CUNY’s Role as a Mobility Engine
- Approximately 250,000 students are enrolled across the City University of New York system, many from households earning less than $30,000 annually.
- Historically, CUNY campuses have secured more than half of the top-10 spots on a prominent think-tank ranking of universities that propel graduates into the middle class.
- The system is described as “a one-of-a-kind mobility machine” that contrasts with elite private colleges whose graduates tend to maintain existing wealth.
Verbatim Quotes
- “The job market is really bad.” — Damir Shavkatov, recent Brooklyn College graduate
- “Even with the encouragement they give me, I still have trouble believing,” — Damir Shavkatov
- “I just want to make my parents proud.” — Damir Shavkatov
These statements encapsulate the personal uncertainty felt by many young professionals navigating a labor market in flux.
