AI Is Forcing a New Way Into the Workforce: How the Next Generation Succeeds as the First Job Disappears

EasyA Founders Dom and Phil Kwok Join Planet Classroom to Challenge the Future of Work: Building Skills Over Credentials

NEW YORK, July 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- As artificial intelligence automates the entry-level roles that once defined early careers, a new question is emerging for educators, employers, and policymakers: If the traditional first job disappears, how does the next generation gain experience?

In the latest episode of AI For A Better World, Planet Classroom Co-Founder and CEO C. M. (Cathy) Rubin sits down with Dom and Phil Kwok, co-founders of EasyA, to examine how artificial intelligence is transforming the first step into the workforce.

"We've all heard the headline that AI is coming for your job," Rubin says. "But the real crisis isn't job loss—it's the ladder being kicked away."

From Entry-Level Roles to the "Vanishing Ladder"

Rubin challenges the Kwoks on the future of career development when the traditional pathway—degree, internship, junior role—begins to collapse. Dom Kwok, drawing on his own background as a former analyst at Blackstone, points to a fundamental shift in upskilling already underway.

"Much of the work junior employees used to do—Excel spreadsheets, making presentations, really doing the menial stuff—is being automated," Dom explains. "Models like Claude are replacing some of the junior work... it's going to result in much fewer analysts needed. The entry-level job as we know it, I think, is over."

Rather than eliminating opportunity, the shift is redefining it. Dom notes that as routine tasks disappear, early-career professionals can skip the office "manual labor" and move directly to more complicated work that requires a blend of emotional intelligence (EQ) and IQ.

Proof of Skill Over Proof of Degree: The Power of GitHub

As Rubin presses further, the conversation turns to what frontier tech employers value most today. "When a top-tier company looks at talent today," she asks, "are they looking at the GPA or the GitHub?"

"Definitely the GitHub," Dom Kwok responds. "We want to see the projects they've actually built... We've actually hired some of our best engineers, and they never went to school. They never even went to university. But they started building right away and they ultimately had very impressive GitHubs."

The episode highlights how traditional résumés are heading for the recycling bin, replaced by demonstrable outputs that prove a candidate can think outside the box in real time.

Learning by Doing and the Rise of "Vibe Coding"

With over a million people learning on EasyA, the Kwoks champion hands-on execution over passive lecture halls. Dom explains that much like learning to fly a plane or bake a cake, you cannot truly understand coding until you get your hands dirty.

Furthermore, advanced AI tools are democratizing this process through what is now known as "vibe coding"—allowing hobbyists and non-traditional students to easily build mobile applications just by putting in a clear prompt.

To prove this model works, Phil Kwok shares the success story of an underdog student builder named Ash, who launched a project at an EasyA hackathon in 2022, bypassed traditional collegiate timelines, and survived intense startup challenges to successfully launch Axel, a cutting-edge Web3 and AI agent startup in New York.

AI as a Global Equalizer

While concerns about access persist, the Kwoks emphasize that AI is actively dismantling geographic barriers. "AI removes those barriers," Dom explains. "You no longer need to pay for an expensive course and sit through hours and weeks of bootcamps... Anyone can literally get stuck in from their homes anywhere in the world."

Phil Kwok, reflecting on his legal studies at Cambridge University, notes that while universities exist to teach students how to think, AI is the ultimate tool that allows individuals to immediately execute those thoughts.

Looking to the future, Phil predicts a world dominated by solo entrepreneurs powered by automation. "In the age of AI, the ideas person is more powerful than ever. You can build things today that used to require entire teams... It's very possible to have a one-man billion-dollar company."

Key Takeaways for the Future of Work:

• The Vanishing Analyst: How AI models are taking over spreadsheets and presentations, permanently shrinking traditional corporate junior roles.
• The GitHub Currency: Why real-world project portfolios are bypassing university degrees in frontier tech hiring.
• The Vibe Coding Era: How AI acts as a force multiplier, allowing an individual with a clear vision to execute projects that once required teams of 20.
• The Borderless Workspace: How free AI tools are leveling the playing field for creators in remote regions without elite institutional connections.

Rubin closes the episode with a powerful reflection that reframes modern education: "The question isn't who will hire you. It's what can you build?"

Watch AI for a Better World: AI and the Future of Entry-Level Jobs

About Dom and Phil Kwok

Dom and Phil Kwok are co-founders of EasyA, a global platform that helps developers and entrepreneurs learn by building through hackathons and hands-on projects. Their work focuses on equipping the next generation with the skills needed to succeed in emerging technologies.

About C. M. (Cathy) Rubin

C. M. (Cathy) Rubin is Co-Founder and CEO of Planet Classroom and Founder of CMRubinWorld. A multimedia journalist and regular Forbes contributor who has authored more than 800 interviews and articles, Rubin focuses on human-centered AI strategy and global education transformation.

SOURCE Planet Classroom Network