The project draws on data from longitudinal cohort studies and other large datasets to explore relationships between forms of teenage career development and better employment outcomes in adulthood.

The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) provides extensive data on teenage participation in guidance activities. This helps analysts to understand how participation in career guidance activities relates to student motivation and agency, factors related to better outcomes.

Improved data helps policy makers to take more strategic approaches to the design and delivery of guidance systems. PISA data show that high proportions of students are uncertain or confused about their career plans which often relate to narrow parts of the labour market.  Considerable opportunities exist to harness the power of guidance to address social inequalities. Through the OECD Observatory on Digital technologies in Career guidance for Youth (ODiCY), the team advises on the best use of digital tools in enhancing provision. 

The Career Readiness team undertakes reviews of guidance systems and provides countries with comparative data on provision. The team collates examples of practice which can be most confidently expected to enhance outcomes for youth based on empirical data.