BUZZ BEAT MEDIA

Workplace experience, adaptability, AI capability and global trade knowledge emerge as priorities as youth seek better preparation for future careers

Federal Express Corporation (FedEx), one of the world’s largest express transportation companies, and Junior Achievement (JA), one of the world’s largest youth-serving nonprofits, released findings from Shaping Tomorrow’s Workforce – Asia Pacific Youth Insights, a new study jointly commissioned by FedEx and JA and published by the JA Institute.

            Surveying over 4,200 young people aged 15 to 22 across ten Asia Pacific markets, including the Philippines, the study offers timely insights into how prepared they feel for future careers, with a focus on practical and entrepreneurial capabilities, global trade knowledge and AI readiness. 

        The study coincides with the 20th year of the FedEx / JA International Trade Challenge (ITC), marking two decades of collaborative effort to advance entrepreneurship education across Asia Pacific. Since 2007, the program has reached more than 54,000 students across Asia Pacific. 

In the Philippines, the FedEx / JA ITC has trained more than 12,000 Filipino youth since 2009, helping them build practical business, problem-solving, and cross-cultural collaboration skills through real-world learning experiences focused on global trade.  

          The findings reveal the need for greater connection between formal education and future career needs. Among those asked about employer expectations, nine in ten believe there is a gap between what they are learning and what employers will expect, while 97% of APAC youth express a desire for greater exposure to how the working world operates. The findings reflect growing demand for education that keeps pace with changes in the workplace driven by AI and evolving international trade.

            “Asia Pacific’s long-term competitiveness will depend on how effectively we equip young people to turn ideas into businesses that solve real problems and compete across borders,” said Salil Chari, president, Asia Pacific, FedEx. “Entrepreneurship education must go beyond theory. Practical experiences such as the FedEx / JA International Trade Challenge help young people understand how global business works, test their ideas and build the confidence to act on them. By strengthening these capabilities early, our collaboration with JA Asia Pacific is helping develop a more innovative entrepreneurial ecosystem and a stronger pipeline of SMEs that can drive sustainable economic growth across the region.”

“The strong belief among Filipino youth that an entrepreneurial mindset is critical to success reflects their confidence, ambition, and willingness to embrace opportunities in a constantly evolving world,” said Garrick Thompson, managing director, FedEx Philippines. “As technology, AI, and global trade continue to reshape industries, young people need more than academic knowledge. They need practical experiences that help them build adaptability, problem-solving skills, and a global perspective. Through our collaboration with Junior Achievement, FedEx is committed to equipping Filipino youth with the capabilities and confidence to succeed in the future workforce and contribute meaningfully to the country’s economic growth.” 

APAC Youth Prioritize Practical Experience and Adaptability

                 The report highlights that Asia Pacific youth want formal education to place greater emphasis on capabilities they can apply as the workplace changes. Real workplace experience, as well as problem-solving and creative thinking, are the top skills they wish to strengthen, followed by communication and presentation, as well as core digital and technology skills.

                Looking ahead over the next 10 to 15 years, APAC youth anticipate adaptability and learning agility to be the most important capabilities for their future careers. The findings indicate that youth value transferable capabilities that can help them continue learning, respond to change and address unfamiliar challenges. 

                 However, recognizing the importance of adaptability does not always translate into confidence navigating uncertainty. While 62% feel confident adapting quickly when plans change, only 55% are comfortable solving problems without an obvious right answer and 56% are comfortable working without a fixed routine. 

Youth See Entrepreneurial Thinking as Valuable Across Careers

                  The need to turn transferable skills into action is also reflected in how APAC youth perceive entrepreneurial thinking.  Across the region, 85% of APAC youth agree that an entrepreneurial mindset can help people succeed in any job, however, less feel confident applying it:

• 61% feel confident generating new ideas or solutions
• 59% feel confident working independently and making decisions without significant guidance

In the Philippines, this belief runs even stronger: 94% agree that an entrepreneurial mindset can help someone succeed in any job, one of the highest levels of agreement in the region alongside Indonesia and Malaysia. This reflects how strongly young Filipinos see the value in taking initiative and the ability to spot and act on opportunities, even as an employee. 

              Readiness also varies across the region, with self-reported confidence in innovation, initiative and independent decision-making generally scoring higher in Southeast Asia and lower in Japan and Korea.

Education Must Keep Pace with AI and an Interconnected Economy

             Beyond entrepreneurial capabilities, the study also highlights the importance of preparing young people to navigate an AI-enabled and increasingly interconnected economy. While APAC youth recognize the relevance of these capabilities, formal education has not fully kept pace:

• 90% believe understanding how business works across countries will matter to their careers, but only 71% say their school or university has taught them how cross-border trade works.
• 84% believe they will need to work alongside AI, but only 62% feel their education is preparing them to use it in a real working environment.
• Self-directed experimentation is the most commonly cited source of AI learning, at 42%, indicating that young people are looking beyond formal education to develop their capabilities.

It’s a different case for the Philippines as respondents credit formal education for 94% of their career preparation and trade knowledge, and 95% say they feel well prepared by their education to use AI, among the highest levels of confidence in education’s role recorded in the study. This suggests that more than in many other markets, Filipino youth already see their schools and universities as active partners in preparing them for an AI-enabled, globally connected economy. 

Nurturing a Future-Ready Generation

             “The most striking finding from this study is that young people are asking for more exposure to the workplace and real-world experience. As youth unemployment in Asia Pacific stands at almost 14% now, much higher than the adult rate, and the AI adoption divide continues to widen, we cannot assume that talent alone will be enough for young people to succeed. They need opportunities to build practical skills, gain confidence, and understand how work is evolving,” said Vivek Kumar, President and Chief Executive Officer of JA Asia Pacific. “Last year, JA Asia Pacific helped more than 5 million young people prepare for the workplace, thanks to the commitment of our partner schools, teachers, volunteers, and long-standing corporate supporters such as FedEx. Our collective responsibility now is to ensure that every young person has a fair chance to thrive in the economy of the future.” 

                 The findings also indicate where this support can have the greatest impact: helping young people use AI responsibly, navigate less structured business challenges and apply classroom knowledge in real-world situations. Industry-led, locally relevant programs can build the judgement, adaptability and commercial understanding needed by the region’s future entrepreneurs, employees and business leaders.

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.

About the Findings 

The insights in this release are drawn from Shaping Tomorrow’s Workforce – Asia Pacific Youth Insights, commissioned by FedEx and JA Asia Pacific, published by JA Institute, and conducted by Bolt Insight. The online quantitative survey was conducted between June and July 2026 among 4,219 young people aged 15 to 22 across ten Asia Pacific markets: China, Hong Kong SAR, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, the Republic of Korea, Thailand and Vietnam. 

About Federal Express Corporation

Federal Express Corporation is one of the world’s largest express transportation companies, providing fast and reliable delivery to more than 220 countries and territories. Federal Express Corporation uses a global air-and-ground network to time-sensitive shipments.

About JA Asia Pacific

Started in 1919 to bridge the gap between classrooms and workplaces, JA Worldwide is one of the world’s oldest and most impactful youth-serving NGOs. Junior Achievement (JA) is dedicated to hands-on, immersive learning in work readiness, financial health, entrepreneurship, STEM, sustainability, and more. JA Worldwide has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize every year since 2022. Delivering more than 23 million student experiences each year in over 100 countries, JA Worldwide is one of few organizations with the scale, experience, and passion to build a brighter future for the next generation of innovators, entrepreneurs, and leaders.

In 2025, JA Asia Pacific, a Member of JA Worldwide, reached more than 5 million students, spanning 14 markets, and engaged more than 66,000 teachers and volunteers in Asia Pacific alone. 
Learn more about us here: www.jaasiapacific.org

About JA Institute
The JA Institute is the research, insights, and thought leadership arm of Junior Achievement (JA), dedicated to producing research on cost-effective ways to implement learning experiences, scale JA’s footprint, introduce innovation, and measure our effectiveness and impact; and translating research into thought leadership that strengthens our youth-advocacy efforts and helps JA lead global conversations. 

Learn more about us here: https://www.ja.institute/ 

*Cover Photo/Thumbnail Photo From Federal Express