2021 OECD Conference

Disrupted futures: International lessons on how schools can best equip students for their working lives

A free online conference highlighting innovative research and practice

As countries turn their attention from handling a healthcare emergency to dealing with its economic consequences, concern rises over youth unemployment. Even before the pandemic, young people in many countries were facing difficulties in their transitions into work. During the pandemic, young people commonly found themselves disproportionately affected by lay-offs and recruitment freezes. Now, with the world coming out of the crisis, young people find themselves particularly vulnerable in the search for work.

This OECD conference focuses on what schools can do to prepare young people for their transitions through education into ultimate employment.

The conference will begin with the presentation by Andreas Schleicher (OECD Director of Education and Skills) of new analysis of data from multiple national longitudinal surveys which follow young people from childhood into adulthood. Using statistical analysis, it has proved possible to identify work-related indicators of career readiness: teenage attitudes and experiences related to futures in work that are associated with better employment outcomes. At the conference, the project team will also present tools derived from the indicators for use by policy makers and practitioners. The conference will also present wider research and practice relevant to more effective youth transitions into employment.

For more information on this conference and how to register, visit the website.