A new OECD report has found that many students’ career goals are poorly aligned with their educational plans and labour market demand. According to The State of Global Teenage Career Preparation, one in five students across OECD countries hopes to enter careers that typically require a university degree, yet these same students do not expect to pursue higher education.
The misalignment is more pronounced among socially disadvantaged students, with one in three holding similar expectations without university ambitions.
The study, based on data from the 2022 edition of the OECD PISA survey, covers responses from 690,000 15-year-olds across 81 countries. It reveals that socio-economic background plays a more significant role than academic ability in shaping students’ expectations for higher education. On average, low-performing students from advantaged backgrounds are more likely to expect to complete a university education than high-performing students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
The findings also point to persistent gender gaps in career aspirations, particularly in sectors that are strategically important and face talent shortages. For example, in 2022 only 1.5% of girls expected to work in information technology by the age of 30, compared to 11% of boys. Similar gaps are seen in healthcare and other key sectors, despite evolving economic needs and labour market trends.
Student preferences continue to be concentrated in a narrow band of professional careers. Across OECD countries, 50% of girls and 44% of boys expect to work in one of ten popular jobs. These figures have shown little change since 2000, even as the structure of economies and demand for skills have shifted significantly.
Lack of Career Clarity and Exposure to Workplaces Limits Preparedness
The report raises concerns about how well schools are preparing students for the world of work. By the age of 15, 39% of students are unclear about their career expectations, a figure that has doubled in under a decade. One in three students also reported that school had not taught them things that could be useful in a job. These issues are especially critical as early career planning is strongly associated with improved employment outcomes later in life.
OECD Secretary-General Mathias Cormann said, “Mismatches in students’ aspirations and plans, coupled with skills shortages in our economies, call for new policies to support better career preparation. More efforts are needed to help young people, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds, get the career guidance they need to understand the options open to them. Employers also have a key role to play in helping young people see the potential of future opportunities.”
The study found that many students have limited exposure to the world of work. Fewer than half of all students across OECD countries had participated in a job fair, workplace visit or work placement by the age of 15. Disadvantaged students were less likely to have had any of these experiences, further widening the gap in opportunity awareness.
The OECD suggests that small-scale interventions by employers could improve this situation. Encouraging employees to volunteer even a single hour each year to speak to students about their roles and sectors could help broaden students’ understanding of the types of jobs available. The report concludes that more comprehensive career education and employer engagement are essential for addressing the disconnect between student aspirations and actual labour market conditions.
