Graduates continue to develop as AI changes work and learning continues

What happens to graduates from Dutch universities of applied sciences after they have spent several years in the labour market? A new report based on the HBO Monitor examines how their labour market position develops four to eight years after graduation, the role AI plays in their work, and how they continue to develop professionally after completing their degree.

The labour market position of many graduates continues to develop during the first years after graduation. Unemployment decreases from 3.2% to 2.3%, and graduates are more likely to have a permanent contract and a supervisory role, while fewer work below their level of education.

AI has also become a common feature of graduates’ work. More than six in ten employed graduates use AI at least weekly. Among AI users, changes to existing tasks are reported most often (28%), while new tasks less frequently emerge (15%) or disappear (7%). The report also examines differences across groups of graduates and occupations.

Learning also continues after graduation. More than four in ten graduates pursued further formal education, while 64% participated in courses or training. The report also examines their reasons for participating, who initiates and finances this learning, and the types of providers from which graduates receive their training.

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Belfi, B., van Guilik, N., Hendrikse, A., Huijgen, T., Künn, A., & Somers, M. (2026). Loopbanen van hbo-afgestudeerden in ontwikkeling: Arbeidsmarktpositie, leven lang ontwikkelen en de rol van AI één en vier tot acht jaar na afstuderen. Maastricht University, Research Centre for Education and the Labour Market. ROA Reports No. 005 https://doi.org/10.26481/umarep.2026005