EP10 ‘The Jobs Market Changed. Schools Didn’t.’ Further Education Consultant Olivia Saunders

"Traditional careers education doesn't work anymore."

It's a bold statement—but is it true?

Young people are entering one of the most challenging job markets in a generation.

Youth unemployment has reached 16.2% nationally, and almost one in four young people in London are unemployed. Meanwhile, Alan Milburn's recent NEETs report warns that more than one million young people are currently out of education, employment or training, with that figure projected to rise to 1.5 million by 2030.

If the world of work has fundamentally changed, shouldn't the way we prepare young people change too?

In this episode of the Maverick School Podcast, Karl sits down with education consultant Olivia Saunders to explore why many of the assumptions underpinning careers education are no longer fit for purpose—and what needs to replace them.

Drawing on her experience across education, safeguarding, inclusion and system-wide school improvement, Olivia shares why she believes we need to rethink the journey from classroom to career.

Together they explore:

• Why traditional careers education struggles to prepare young people for today's economy
• The innovative MBacc curriculum and how it could transform pathways into employment
• Why conventional work experience often misses the mark—and what meaningful employer engagement should look like instead
• How forward-thinking employers are embracing AI as a skill rather than treating it as a threat
• The exciting, high-value career opportunities that are often overlooked by schools and careers programmes

This is a conversation about far more than employment.

It's about giving young people the knowledge, confidence and opportunities to navigate a rapidly changing world.

If you care about the future of work, education and the next generation, this is an episode you won't want to miss.

 

LinkedIn: Olivia Saunders Baker Dearing