Palantir Hires High School Graduates

In a landmark shift for tech recruitment, Palantir—the $452 billion defense and analytics giant—recently hired 22 high school graduates into its paid Meritocracy Fellowship, sidestepping traditional college pathways. With Ivy League-level test scores required, these teens joined a four-month, full-time program, learning U.S. history, Western foundations, and working alongside Palantir’s employees solving technical problems and improving products.

What sets this program apart? Rather than investing years (and thousands in debt) in university, these fellows are urged to “Skip the debt. Skip the indoctrination.” Those who excel even have the chance to interview for a salaried role. Palantir’s CEO, Alex Karp, is vocal about the decline of college as a reliable training ground, questioning whether universities still prepare students for real-world work and calling company experience the “best credential in tech.”

This move signals a broader trend among Gen Z: Many are questioning the value of college as tuition costs soar and AI-driven disruption changes career paths like computer science. Studies show that 58% of recent college grads struggle to find stable work—and that hiring for entry-level roles at top tech firms is down more than 50% since 2019.

Why does this matter for students considering AI and technology careers?

• Major tech companies are directly recruiting talented high school grads: Having Gen AI and technical skills early opens doors.
• The urgency for Generative AI education has never been greater: Don’t wait until college to build skills that the industry is demanding right now.
• Avoid mounting student debt and uncertain job prospects: Start learning and building Gen AI expertise sooner.

Bottom line:
If industry leaders like Palantir say that college is no longer enough, it’s time to rethink how, when, and where students prepare for the AI-powered future. Gen AI skills are no longer “optional”—they are urgent, and the next big opportunity might come even before graduation.

[Inspired by recent news coverage in Fortune. Read the original article here.]