PEOPLE & CULTURE

By FedEx | August 18, 2026

What do today’s youth need to become career-ready? “Shaping Tomorrow’s Workforce: Asia Pacific Youth Insights”, a study jointly commissioned by FedEx and Junior Achievement (JA), uncovers key perspectives from young people across the APAC region. Read the full report here.

• APAC youth are keen to bridge the gap between classroom learning and career readiness, with 97% wanting more exposure to how the working world operates. 
• While young people recognize the importance of entrepreneurial skills in an increasingly uncertain world, many feel less confident about applying them in practice.
• More targeted education around AI and global trade is necessary to develop essential skills for the workplace and help youth navigate the business landscape of the future.

Tomorrow’s business challenges will be solved by today’s young people. But to grow into the next generation of leaders and entrepreneurs, they need the right knowledge and experience to navigate an increasingly complex world. What can today’s leaders do to equip youth with future-ready skills?

“Shaping Tomorrow’s Workforce: Asia Pacific Youth Insights”, a study jointly commissioned by FedEx and Junior Achievement (JA), offers timely insights into this challenge.

The study captures perspectives from over 4,200 young people aged 15 to 22 across ten APAC markets. Notably, it reveals an urgent need to better prepare young people for future careers, with nine in ten respondents highlighting a gap between what they learn in school and what employers will expect. The survey also pinpoints the areas where targeted support can make the greatest impact – from fostering entrepreneurial thinking to building AI skills for students.

Here’s a look at our key findings:

APAC youth seek more real-world learning opportunities

As the world of work evolves rapidly, young people need more than classroom learning to prepare for career success. An overwhelming 97% of APAC youth say they want more exposure to how the working world operates, highlighting a strong and unmet demand for real-world learning experiences.

To make formal education more future-ready, youth are seeking greater emphasis on practical workplace skills in their school curriculums. Real workplace experience is top of mind for APAC youth, followed by problem-solving, creative thinking, communication, and presentation skills.

Extra-curricular activities, competitions, and personal projects are currently the top three avenues for APAC students to develop future-ready skills such as problem-solving and independent thinking. Greater industry-led support can give more young people access to such vital learning opportunities, ensuring the next generation has the tools to thrive.

Youth value entrepreneurial thinking, but confidence levels vary

In a world where uncertainty is the new normal, entrepreneurial thinking is more valuable than ever. This mindset – defined by the ability to generate new ideas, tackle ambiguous problems, and adapt quickly when plans change – can help young people succeed in any career path.

Across the region, 85% of youth agree that an entrepreneurial mindset isn’t just about business ownership – it can help them succeed in any job. Looking ahead to the next 10 to 15 years, APAC youth expect adaptability and learning agility to be the most critical capabilities for career readiness.

Although young people understand the importance of entrepreneurial skills for job readiness, many do not currently feel confident applying them. Only 55% of APAC youth feel comfortable solving problems with no obvious right answer, while 59% feel confident in their ability to work independently and make decisions with minimal guidance.

Confidence levels also vary across the region, with youth in Southeast Asia broadly reporting greater comfort with innovation, initiative, and independent decision-making than their counterparts in Japan and South Korea.

More targeted education in AI and global trade is essential

The future of work will be AI-enabled and globally connected. While APAC students recognize the growing relevance of AI skills and global trade knowledge, they need more targeted education to bridge key learning gaps.

For instance, 90% of respondents believe that understanding how business works across countries will matter to their careers. However, just 71% say their school or university has taught them how cross-border trade works.

Young people also recognize that AI will transform the workplace, with 84% expecting to work alongside AI in their future careers. Yet only 62% feel their education has prepared them to apply AI in a real working environment.

APAC youth have taken AI learning into their own hands, with many relying on self-teaching (42%), social media (35%), and tutorials through platforms like YouTube (31%). More opportunities are needed to help these budding innovators deepen their AI capabilities and learn to use AI responsibly.

Discover more insights into tomorrow’s workforce

Today’s industry leaders play a key role in empowering the next generation of talent. At FedEx, we’re committed to strengthening the entrepreneurial ecosystem across APAC – and that means supporting the young people who will shape its future.

Since 2007, the FedEx/JA International Trade Challenge (ITC) has provided young, aspiring entrepreneurs with a platform to solve real-world business challenges and connect with industry mentors. Through two decades of partnership with JA, the program has equipped more than 54,000 students across APAC with hands-on experience in entrepreneurial thinking, global trade, and cross-cultural collaboration.

For more insights on the future-ready skills that APAC youth need, check out the full “Shaping Tomorrow’s Workforce: Asia Pacific Youth Insights” report.