This is a welcome initiative involving UNICEF for the first time in an international research study  (in cooperation with ETF) of young people’s career learning needs, the means to address these, their educational and occupational aspirations, key factors in their choices, and their current sources of career learning support. Nine European and 2 Central Asian countries (Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan) participated. The methodology, using convenience sampling, included focus group discussion, both online and offline facilitated by young people, involving 139 young people across 11 countries recruited through UNICEF country offices, and an online poll undertaken through UNICEF’s social messaging and data collection tool (U-Report).

The findings (regardless of the study’s many methodological limitations) are in general consistent with the results of similar research in the field. The majority of young people use the internet and social media as primary sources of careers information. This is important because it raises questions about the quality and reliability of such sources, which quality standards should apply to careers information itself and to websites or national platforms, and how to teach young people (and their parents)  to evaluate such information and sources. The report’s initial discussion of the findings seems to focus on quality as mainly referring to the professionalism of practitioners. It also appears to favour experiential careers learning over other forms of learning (young people’s wish), and as if such learning solely shapes one’s careers interests (nature and nurture do have equal roles!). Quality standards equally apply to experiential career learning (noted with respect to traineeships), and many jobs are not susceptible to experiential learning! The use of simulation, video, and virtual reality as forms of career learning is not alluded to.

The report makes clear that the gaps in respondents’ career learning in these 11 countries are huge. The outcomes of such gaps, for example, tertiary drop-out/course change rates and graduate unemployment rates in these 11 countries, and their cost to government and families, would be useful annex information. Perhaps what is most missing in the report is a discussion on the nature of career learning itself (how do young people career learn in their developmental stages – and the role of formal and informal learning in supporting career learning). This would help to better frame the research findings and their policy implications.