Researchers at the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta warned that removing entry-level jobs through rapid automation could undercut the on-the-job learning pipeline that feeds productivity growth. Citing Kenneth Arrow’s 1962 insight that learning occurs through attempts to solve real problems during activity, the Atlanta Fed paper argues that tasks in junior roles function as a “curriculum” for building human capital required for later expertise. The analysis suggests that eliminating those roles may create a longer-term workforce constraint for employers and managers. The findings come amid data showing young degree-holders facing higher unemployment rates than overall unemployment, with some segments of college graduates facing job outcomes similar to peers without degrees—fueling renewed debates over how educational credentials translate into early-career experience.