This had me thinking. It is a common feature of graduate work, most jobs these days are heading down this path. I was a new grad in a blue chip company 35 years ago and found myself in a similar boat during my first 10 years. As a grad you come in with a deep but narrow set of skills and find the old timers are quick and efficient at getting stuff done and know where the cul-de-sacs are. There was pear pressure to work very long days to learn the and competences and prove yourself as someone who got stuff done- it was not family friendly or a good work/life balance. But it does ease off as you develop networks, and learn where to apply effort, and pick up the IT, enterprise, presentation, communication and all those other capabilities needed. I've read it takes 10,000 hours to become an expert in a profession.
I suspect this trend has got worse over the years as manufacturing jobs have gone and new grads are competing with those who have years of experience and lots of connections. As many jobs are less manual, many people choose carry on working into older age, part-time, making it doubly hard for youngsters to find opportunities. On the plus side, education is much more careers focused and grads are better aware on how to navigate there way through.
