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

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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.

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Spain’s Royal Academy of Engineering Elects Professor Marcos López de Prado as International Member

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The election recognizes Professor López de Prado’s contributions to computational science and financial machine learning over an international career spanning three decades and three continentsProfessor López de Prado joins a select group of only 71 international membersCurrent and former international members include distinguished scientists and technologists, among them Nobel laureates, Turing Award winners, and members of foreign national academies

ABU DHABI, UAE, July 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Real Academia de Ingeniería, Spain’s Royal Academy of Engineering and the country’s national academy in the field, has elected ADIA Lab Advisory Board member Professor Marcos López de Prado as an international member (Académico Correspondiente), in recognition of his pioneering contributions to computational science and financial machine learning.

 

 

Established by Royal Decree and integrated into the Institute of Spain, the Academy belongs to CAETS, the global council of leading national engineering academies. Its mission is to place engineering expertise at the service of the public interest: providing independent advice to governments and public authorities, advancing engineering science and its technological applications, disseminating knowledge, and setting standards and best practices. Election to the Academy is among Spain’s highest scientific honors, a distinction currently held by only 71 international members.

In addition to his role with ADIA Lab, Professor López de Prado is Global Head – Quantitative Research & Development at the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA), Professor of Practice at Cornell University’s College of Engineering, Research Fellow at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (U.S. Office of Science), and Professor of Practice at Khalifa University’s Department of Mathematics. In 2024, he was awarded the Officer’s Cross of the Royal Order of Civil Merit, a major state decoration, by His Majesty King Felipe VI and the Government of Spain.

The Academy’s election of Professor López de Prado recognizes his role in establishing financial machine learning as a rigorous discipline at the intersection of engineering, computational science, statistics and investment practice, as well as the international adoption and influence of his methods across academia and the investment industry.

Membership is for life, limited in number, and not open to application. Election follows a peer-led process: candidates are nominated by Academy members, evaluated by the Admissions Board, and elected at a plenary session by an absolute majority of all members entitled to vote. Current and former international members include distinguished scientists and technologists, among them Geoffrey Hinton (Nobel Prize, Physics), Zhores Alferov (Nobel Prize, Physics), Werner Arber (Nobel Prize, Medicine), Norman Borlaug (Nobel Prize, Peace), John Hennessy (Turing Award), Judea Pearl (Turing Award), Maurice V. Wilkes (Turing Award), and around 60 members of foreign national academies.

Professor López de Prado is the first member of the Academy elected with residence in the United Arab Emirates, further strengthening the Academy’s links with the UAE’s scientific and technological ecosystem. He will formally receive the medal and diploma of international membership at the investiture ceremony that will be held this October at the historic Palace of Villafranca in Madrid, where the Academy is headquartered.

H.E. Jaime Domínguez Abascal, President of the Academy, remarked: “Professor López de Prado’s election acknowledges his central role in pioneering engineering methods that solve complex financial problems, as well as his development of machine learning algorithms now deployed across the global investment industry. His work bridges academia and practice, demonstrating how engineering principles and methods can enhance high-stakes decision-making in domains of broad economic, societal and institutional importance.”

Dr. Horst Simon, ADIA Lab’s Director, commented: “Election to a national academy is among the highest honors a scientist can receive. Professor López de Prado’s election is a proud moment for ADIA Lab and further underscores the exceptional caliber of our Advisory Board, which includes several Nobel Prize laureates, Turing Award winners, and National Academicians. We warmly congratulate Marcos on this well-deserved recognition.”

Professor López de Prado expressed his appreciation for this election: “I am grateful to Spain’s Royal Academy of Engineering, whose members exemplify scientific and technological excellence around the world. Engineering is not limited to physical artifacts—it is the disciplined design of solutions to technical problems under real-world constraints. Financial machine learning applies engineering methods to one of society’s most complex systems: global financial markets. I am honored that the Academy embraces this vision, and I hope my election inspires future generations to pursue engineering approaches to finance for the advancement of knowledge and the benefit of society.”

About Marcos López de Prado

Dr. Marcos López de Prado is Global Head – Quantitative Research & Development at the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA), and a founding board member of ADIA Lab, Abu Dhabi’s center for research in data and computational sciences. He is also a Research Fellow at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, part of the U.S. Department of Energy, and Professor of Practice at Cornell University’s College of Engineering. In 2024, His Majesty King Felipe VI and the Government of Spain appointed him Knight Officer of the Royal Order of Civil Merit, “for distinguished services to science and the global investment industry.” The U.S. Congress has invited him to testify on AI policy, he is the named inventor on 15 patents, and the Social Science Research Network (SSRN) ranks him among the 10 most-read authors in Economics. He has published several influential graduate textbooks and more than 100 scientific journal articles with over 50 co-authors, including several Nobel laureates. For more information, visit https://QuantResearch.org/

About ADIA Lab

ADIA Lab is an independent institution engaged in basic and applied research in Data Science, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and High-Performance and Quantum Computing, across all major fields of study. This includes exploring applications in areas such as climate change and energy transition, blockchain technology, financial inclusion and investing, decision making, automation, cybersecurity, health sciences, education, telecommunications, and space. Based in Abu Dhabi, ADIA Lab is an independent, standalone entity supported by the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA), a globally-diversified investment institution that invests funds on behalf of the Government of Abu Dhabi. ADIA Lab has its own governance and operational structure, and is guided by an Advisory Board of global thought leaders in data and computationally-intensive disciplines, to pursue its research independently. For more information, visit https://www.adialab.ae/

About Spain’s Royal Academy of Engineering

The Real Academia de Ingeniería is Spain’s Royal Academy of Engineering and the country’s national academy in the field. Created by Royal Decree 859/1994, it forms part of the Institute of Spain, which brings together Spain’s national Royal Academies. The Academy falls under the High Patronage of His Majesty King Felipe VI, a constitutional function assigned to the King by Article 62(j) of the Spanish Constitution. Its mission is to place engineering expertise at the service of the public interest: providing independent advice to governments and public authorities, advancing engineering science and its technological applications, disseminating knowledge, and setting standards and best practices. The Academy is officially headquartered at the historic Palace of Villafranca, a prominent cultural heritage site in central Madrid, which was formally inaugurated by His Majesty King Juan Carlos in 2010. It is a member of the International Council of Academies of Engineering and Technological Sciences (CAETS), the global council of leading national engineering academies, alongside institutions such as the U.S. National Academy of Engineering and the UK Royal Academy of Engineering. It is also a founding member of the European Council of Applied Sciences and Engineering (Euro-CASE). For more information, visit https://www.raing.es/

Photo:  https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/3003307/ADIA_Lab.jpg
Photo:  https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/3003308/ADIA_Lab.jpg

 

 

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Hexaware Recognized Among Top Providers in Whitelane Research UK & Ireland 2026 IT Sourcing Study

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Independent survey results reflect strong client confidence in Hexaware’s AI-led delivery and execution

LONDON, July 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Hexaware Technologies (NSE: HEXT), a global provider of IT solutions and services, today announced strong results in Whitelane Research’s UK & Ireland 2026 IT Sourcing Study, where it was recognized as an Exceptional Performer for Overall Client Satisfaction in the UK and Ireland market.

Whitelane Research, an independent European research organization, runs one of the region’s most extensive IT sourcing satisfaction surveys, rating IT and cloud providers across key service towers and KPIs. The 2026 UK & Ireland study gathered feedback from close to 400 participants drawn from the top IT-spending organizations in the UK and Ireland, evaluated over 1,000 unique IT sourcing relationships, and assessed 37 IT service providers.

Hexaware’s key rankings in the study include:

#1 in Value for Money, reflecting strong value-for-money delivered to clients#2 in Overall Satisfaction and #2 in IT service provider performance satisfaction for Financial Services#3 in Application Services (IT Services Tower) and #3 in Service Delivery (KPI)

The results reflect continued client confidence in Hexaware’s AI-first, client-centric approach to technology services. Clients pointed to Hexaware’s strength in application services, its domain expertise in insurance, strong executive engagement, and a cooperative, team-oriented approach to account management. As enterprises in the UK and Ireland focus on cost efficiency, modernization and service resilience, Hexaware continues to help clients improve performance across technology operations, transformation and digital engineering programs.

“Client feedback is the clearest measure of service quality,” said R. Srikrishna, CEO & Executive Director, Hexaware. “These rankings validate our success in deploying AI at scale and driving continuous innovation to optimize key customer levers and deliver superior business outcomes.”

“The UK and Ireland remain a priority market for Hexaware, and this recognition reflects the confidence clients place in our teams,” said Parameshwaran Iyer, EVP & Head – Europe & UK, Hexaware Technologies. “We will continue to strengthen local capability and AI-led delivery across the region.”

“The Whitelane study is built on direct customer opinion across major sourcing relationships,” said Jef Loos, Head of Research, Europe, Whitelane Research. “Hexaware’s rankings point to competitive performance in areas clients assess closely, including overall satisfaction, service delivery, and price level.”

These results build on Hexaware’s strong performance in the previous UK & Ireland study, where the company ranked #1 in Overall Client Satisfaction and Application Services.

To learn more about the Whitelane Research UK & Ireland 2026 IT Sourcing Study, click here.

About Hexaware

Hexaware is a global technology and business process services company. Every day, Hexawarians wake up with a singular purpose; to create smiles through great people and technology. With offices across the world, we empower enterprises worldwide to realize digital transformation at scale and speed by partnering with them to build, transform, run, and optimize their technology and business processes.

Learn more about Hexaware at https://hexaware.com.

 

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ATFX Brings Q3 2026 Trader Magazine into Focus on the Next Market Shift

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HONG KONG, July 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — ATFX Trader Magazine returns for Q3 2026 with a forward-looking analysis of the major themes expected to shape global financial markets in the coming months. As investors navigate a more complex and selective environment, this edition explores how geopolitical developments, shifting monetary policy expectations, and evolving market leadership are creating new opportunities and challenges across asset classes.

Q3 2026 Trader Magazine explores the balance between resilience and risk, helping traders understand the key forces influencing market sentiment, capital flows, and market direction.

Key Themes in the Q3 Edition

The Q3 Trader Magazine highlights several important developments expected to influence trading activity and investor behaviour throughout the quarter, including:

Middle East geopolitical developments, supply disruptions, and their impact on energy prices, inflation expectations, and broader market volatilityCrude oil market outlook, including inventory trends, supply constraints, demand dynamics, and potential scenarios for the quarter aheadPrecious metals analysis, with a focus on gold and silver as changing inflation expectations, interest-rate outlooks, and geopolitical risks reshape market sentimentDiverging central bank policies and their influence on currencies, interest-rate expectations, and global market sentimentGlobal equity market developments, including continued AI-driven growth, narrowing market breadth, valuation concerns, and the ongoing balance between bullish and bearish scenarios

Together, these themes provide a connected view of how macroeconomic developments and global events may shape market conditions in Q3.

“We expect that, at this critical juncture between bull and bear markets in Q3, we will require both analytical rigour and flexible strategic thinking, said Martin Lam, ATFX Chief Analyst for Asia Pacific.

From Market Analysis to Trading Perspective

The Q3 edition explores how changing market conditions may influence trading activity across asset classes by combining macroeconomic developments with technical analysis. Through an examination of market structure, prevailing trends, and potential scenarios, the magazine provides readers with a broader view of the factors shaping market conditions in the quarter ahead.

Download a copy of the Q3 2026 Trader Magazine here to explore the full analysis and insights across global financial markets.

About ATFX

ATFX is a leading global fintech broker with a local presence in 24 locations and holds 10 regulatory licences and authorisations, including the UK’s FCA, Australia’s ASIC, Cyprus’ CySEC, the UAE’s CMA, Hong Kong’s SFC, South Africa’s FSCA, Mauritius’ FSC, Seychelles’ FSA, Cambodia’s SERC and Colombia’s SFC. With a strong commitment to customer satisfaction, innovative technology, and strict regulatory compliance, ATFX delivers exceptional trading experiences to clients worldwide.

For further information on ATFX, please visit ATFX website https://www.atfx.com.

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