BCG, Bain and Alvarez to ramp up entry level hiring despite AI fears - City AM

Consulting firms Bain & Co and Alvarez & Marsal have announced plans to increase entry-level and graduate hiring in the UK over the next few years, according to their UK bosses. Bain & Co is aiming for 'triple-digit numbers' of graduate hires above pre-pandemic levels, while Alvarez & Marsal said it will step up junior hiring. The moves come despite widespread fears that artificial intelligence will disrupt junior roles in consulting.

The announcements were made by the UK heads of both firms. Bain's UK managing partner stated the target of 'triple-digit numbers' above pre-pandemic hires, though exact figures were not provided. Alvarez & Marsal's UK boss confirmed the firm would increase junior hiring, without specifying a numerical target. BCG, also mentioned in the article's title, is also reportedly ramping up entry-level hiring, but details from BCG were not included in the excerpt.

Consulting firms have been early adopters of AI tools for tasks such as data analysis and report generation, leading to concerns that junior roles — often the entry point for graduates — could be reduced. The firms' decisions to expand graduate hiring suggest they continue to see value in human talent for the foreseeable future, despite technological advances.