The firm’s Young Minds 2026: The Unequal Advantage report, based on a survey of 2,000 18 to 25-year-olds, highlights a growing shift towards digital sources of guidance amid widening inequalities in access to opportunity.

More than three quarters (78%) of young people in Scotland now use digital sources to inform their career decisions, including AI tools (31%), social media influencers (22%) and other online research (25%).

The findings raise concern that, UK-wide, those from lower socio-economic backgrounds are more likely to rely on such tools than on family networks and teachers, underlining a structural gap in access to advice and a growing risk that technology is substituting for, rather than complementing, structured careers guidance.

BDO points to what it calls a systemic “unequal advantage” in access to opportunity, with disparities across socio-economic background, neurodivergence and geography.

Across the UK, fewer young people from lower socio-economic backgrounds have taken part in structured careers preparation, such as CV workshops or mock interviews. Nationally, only 27% of neurodivergent respondents have received support from their personal networks to find relevant work experience, compared with 38% of neurotypical respondents.

Geographic disparities reinforce this pattern of unequal advantage, with young people in Scotland are almost one and a half times less likely to have established professional connections than those in the South East. However, opportunities to engage with employers during education are stronger in Scotland (48%) than in the North East (33%) and North West (37%).

Chris Meyrick, partner and head of audit at BDO in Scotland, said: “The findings tell us that almost all young people believe at least one barrier is preventing them from getting a job or advancing in their career.

“It’s clear that too many are still being held back by what they were born into, whether that’s where they live, their social capital or the support they have access to.

“While technology is creating new ways for young people to explore careers, it cannot replace the value of meaningful, personal guidance. The findings expose deep and persistent inequalities in access to opportunity across the UK.

“If we are serious about improving social mobility, we need to ensure that access to opportunity is not determined by background but shaped by talent and potential. That requires coordinated action from employers, educators and policymakers to create pathways that are visible, accessible and fair for everyone.”

BDO is calling on the government to address these challenges through stronger alignment between education, employers and policymakers. It supports the introduction of an apprenticeship clearing-style system that is aligned to employer recruitment cycles, with safeguards in place to ensure equal visibility for employers of all sizes.