A new OECD report reveals that nearly 40% of 15-year-olds are uncertain about their future careers. Alarmingly, only one in three students has attended a job fair or completed an internship, and over 20% hold unrealistic job aspirations. These findings come from The State of Global Teenage Career Preparation, a comprehensive look at how well young people are being equipped for the world of work. In this episode of Top Class, OECD Editor Duncan Crawford speaks with the report’s lead author, Anthony Mann, to unpack the data and explore what needs to change.
You can read the full report here: https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/the-state-of-global-teenage-career-preparation_d5f8e3f2-en.html
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The state of global education, with OECD’s Andreas Schleicher
More people are getting degrees than ever before, but family background has a big influence on whether people pursue university or another form of tertiary education. That’s one of the key findings of this year’s OECD report Education at a Glance. The report is the authoritative source of information on the state of education worldwide, with data on the structure, financing and performance of education systems across OECD countries and partner economies. In this edition of Top Class, the OECD’s Director for Education and Skills Andreas Schleicher speaks to OECD Editor Duncan Crawford about the main findings.
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Reinventing education in Ukraine with former education minister Liliia Hrynevych
Despite Russia’s war of aggression, Ukraine is rewriting the future of its education system. The New Ukrainian School reform programme is a bold initiative to move away from Soviet-era style schooling and to instead embrace a more modern, student-centred approach. It was launched in 2016, two years after Ukraine's pro-Russian president Viktor Yanukovych was ousted after months of mass demonstrations. In this episode of Top Class, former Minister of Education and Science Liliia Hrynevych (2016–2019) joins OECD Editor Duncan Crawford to discuss Ukraine's reform journey. She talks about the country's ambitions, the challenges and why even amidst conflict, Ukraine remains committed to transforming how it teaches the next generation.
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The battle for education in Ukraine
How to improve Ukraine’s education system during a time of war was the main topic of discussion at an education festival in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv last month. More than 2,000 Ukrainian teachers gathered for the Teachers of the Future 2025 festival to discuss efforts to reshape schools across the country. Despite Russia’s ongoing war of aggression, Ukrainian policymakers are pushing forward with reforms to tailor learning for all students so they can fulfil their full potential. The New Ukrainian School reforms, launched in 2016, focus on developing key life competencies, empowering teachers and fostering critical thinking and creativity in pupils. In this episode of Top Class, the OECD’s Duncan Crawford spoke to policymakers, teachers and students at the festival about the impact of the reforms.
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Can apprenticeships solve the job skills gap?
Employers are struggling to find skilled workers. How can we fix the job skills gap? Apprenticeships are touted as one possible solution. They combine on-the-job training with classroom learning, allowing employers to recruit and train people to meet their skills needs. According to the OECD, there are huge opportunities for apprenticeships to expand into a wider range of sectors. But many countries are failing to take full advantage of them. In this episode of Top Class, Doug Walton, an Associate at research and consulting firm Abt Global, and Dr. Bryan Coyne from the Faculty of Business & Social Sciences at Atlantic Technological University in Sligo, Ireland, discuss how people and businesses can make the most of apprenticeships.
Learn more by reading the latest research shared at the 2025 joint Cedefop-OECD symposium: New fields for apprenticeship: https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/events/2025-joint-cedefop-oecd-symposium-new-fields-apprenticeship
About Top Class: The OECD Education Policy Podcast | Teachers, PISA, Students
Everything you need to know about teaching and learning in one podcast. Top Class, the OECD Education Podcast, interviews leading educators, researchers and policy experts about the big issues facing education systems around the world.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed and arguments employed on the "TopClass" podcast and the recordings contained therein do not necessarily represent the official views of the OECD, its member countries, or non-members who have participated in any related work. This site may display third party videos or recordings. The inclusion of such videos or recordings does not imply any endorsement of, or responsibility for, the opinions, ideas, or information presented in these videos. The "TopClass" podcast is subject to the Disclaimers section of the General Terms and Conditions of the OECD website. http://www.oecd.org/termsandconditions/
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