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Job Outlook Update: A Look at Hiring Projections for the Class of 2026

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Dive into the latest hiring projections with Shawn VanDerziel, NACE president & CEO, and Mary Gatta, NACE Research Director. We’ll examine the latest hiring trends for new college graduates, discuss what’s happening with skills-based hiring, impacts of AI on entry level jobs, and what that means for early career talent and interns. Free to members, this webinar offers insights and analysis to keep you informed and on top of the latest trends.

Summary
Join Shawn VanDerziel, NACE president and CEO, and Mary Gatta, NACE research director, for an in-depth look at the latest hiring projections for new college graduates. This session will unpack how broader economic conditions are influencing employer demand for early career talent, while also exploring the role of skills-based hiring and AI in shaping recruitment practices.

Discover where hiring is increasing, decreasing, or holding steady, and uncover how NACE data may differ from the broader media narrative. Learn how employers are projecting AI disruptions in early talent recruitment—and hear how they are actually using AI in the workplace, including ways it is augmenting jobs rather than replacing them.

Shawn and Mary will share the newest insights from NACE research, highlighting what employers are prioritizing, how hiring trends are shifting, and what this means for career services, recruiters, and the students they serve. This webinar will equip you with timely data and analysis to help you anticipate trends, adjust strategies, and better prepare students and interns for the evolving world of work.

Following this program, you will be able to:
- Understand the latest hiring projections for the Class of 2026 and beyond;
- Examine how economic trends, skills-based hiring, and AI are shaping employer decisions; and
- Identify the impact of these shifts on entry-level jobs and internships.
Presenters

Shawn VanDerziel, President & Chief Executive Officer, NACE
As president and chief executive officer of the National Association of Colleges and Employers, Shawn VanDerziel leads the association of 18,000 college career services professionals, early talent recruiting professionals, and business solution providers that serve the community. As a leading voice on the employment of the college educated and advocate for opportunity and access for all students, VanDerziel is featured regularly as an industry expert and is a sought-after speaker on a range of topics, including internships, hiring, career readiness, and trends in the workforce and college job market. Prior to joining the NACE staff, VanDerziel was with the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago for 23 years, where he most recently served as chief human resources officer and as chief of staff. His earlier roles included corporate recruiting with Norrell Corporation and a position in higher education as associate director of student enrollment at National Louis University.

Mary Gatta, Director of Research and Public Policy, NACE
Mary Gatta, Ph.D., is the director of research and policy at the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), where she leads research on the employment of the college educated, and forecasts hiring and trends in the job market; tracks starting salaries, recruiting and hiring practices, and student attitudes and outcomes; and identifies best practices and benchmarks. She has more than 20 years of teaching, research, and advocacy experience working on issues of career education and workforce development in colleges and nonprofit associations. Prior to joining NACE, Dr. Gatta served as an associate professor of sociology at City University of New York-Guttman and faculty director of the Ethnographies of Work program. In addition, she was the research director at the Rutgers University Center for Women and Work and a senior scholar at Wider Opportunities for Women in Washington D.C. She has written numerous books, articles, and policy papers on education and work. Dr. Gatta also served on NJ Governor Phil Murphy's Labor and Workforce Development Transition Team. She holds a bachelor’s degree in social science from Providence College and a master’s degree and doctorate in sociology from Rutgers University.

Questions?

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FAQ Page [email protected] 610.625.1026

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Job Outlook Update: A Look at Hiring Projections for the Class of 2026

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Presenters

Contact NACE Professional Development

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Job Outlook Update: A Look at Hiring Projections for the Class of 2026

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