This report sets out key findings from PISA as they relate to teenage career development. The report shows that across OECD countries, students are now expressing very high levels of career uncertainty and confusion. Job expectations have changed little since 2000 and bear little relationship to actual patterns of labour market demand, including in working areas of high strategic importance. The education plans of students moreover are more strongly shaped by social background than by academic performance. Many students understandably exhibit considerable anxiety about their career preparation. Wider longitudinal research shows that participation in many career development activities is positively associated with better employment outcomes. However, PISA shows that too few students in most countries are engaging in activities which are most strongly related with better transitions. In particular, young people are not getting enough guidance in crucial fields which connect them with employers and people in work.
The State of Global Teenage Career Preparation
Abstract
Executive summary
Using data from the OECD Programme for International Students Assessment (PISA), which compares data from 2000 to 2022 across more than 80 countries, this report explores the state of career preparation among teenagers worldwide and highlights several key findings and concerns.
A significant portion of students are uncertain about their career plans, which is linked to poorer employment outcomes later in life. This uncertainty has grown substantially since 2018. Students who participate more in career development activities tend to have clearer career plans and better employment outcomes.
The report reveals that while educational ambitions have increased, socio-economic background still plays a significant role in determining these ambitions. The study shows that social background is a stronger determinant of educational plans than academic ability. High-performing students from disadvantaged backgrounds are less likely on average to expect to complete tertiary education than their less academically successful but more advantaged peers.
Despite the rise in educational aspirations, students' job expectations have changed little and remain misaligned with actual labour market demands. Many young people continue to aspire to a limited number of traditional, high-status jobs. Students' career expectations are increasingly concentrated in professional occupations, which do not align with the actual distribution of jobs in the labour market. Confusion about how the education system can be used to access desirable jobs is particularly pronounced among students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Many students demonstrate anxiety about their career prospects.
The report underscores the importance of effective career guidance and employer engagement in helping students understand the opportunities available to them. However, it finds that too few students are participating in career development activities that are most strongly linked to better employment outcomes. Disadvantaged students, in particular, are less likely to engage in these activities, exacerbating existing inequalities.
It also calls for greater investment in career development systems that begin early in students' educational journeys and involve frequent, meaningful engagement with employers. It suggests that such systems can help students make informed decisions about their education and career paths, ultimately leading to better employment outcomes and a more balanced workforce.
