why jobs are the real test for transnational education

In my house at the moment, everything comes back to jobs.

My son graduated this summer, right as the entry-level jobs market is being shaken up by AI and shifting skills demands. My daughter is choosing what to study, and her first question wasn’t about grades or campuses, it was, “Which course will give me the best chance at a job?”

It’s the same conversation happening in countless homes right now. As a former teacher, and now someone working across education systems, I feel it deeply. Because behind every headline about automation or skills gaps sits a young person wondering if the future has room for them.

Our data shows the worries aren’t unfounded. In the UK, delays between finishing education and securing full-time work accounts for an estimated £23 billion in lost earnings. That’s not just a number; it’s months of momentum drained from young lives.

This isn’t only a British story. In Brazil, where I recently met learners at our Wizard school, roughly a quarter of 18-24-year-olds are not in education, training or employment, according to Pearson’s ‘Lost in Transition Brazil’ data, 2025. Behind that number are millions of young people so discouraged they’ve stepped out of the labour market altogether.

From waiting to working

So what can we do, practically and quickly, without pretending there’s a single fix?

Traditional universities remain anchors of scholarship and opportunity. But the path they offer isn’t accessible to everyone. Each year, large numbers of students from countries like China and India look to study in places like the UK, yet the cost, limited places at selective institutions, and the need to stay close to home shut out millions of talented students who could thrive in global programmes.

Transnational education (TNE) offers part of the solution; a complement, not a replacement. It enables students to access international universities at home, ideally with employer connections woven in from the start.

Behind every headline about automation or skills gaps sits a young person wondering if the future has room for them.

We see that promise in emerging TNE campuses across India, where international universities are working closely with local industry. Picture a classroom where students are presenting project work to visiting employers. Next door, another cohort is preparing for interviews as part of integrated internship and placement pathways.

The test is simple: are we shortening the distance from lecture theatre to a good first job?

Why employability is the yardstick

Almost seven million students left their home country to study abroad last year. Over the next decade, TNE could reach millions more learners in emerging economies, expanding access to respected qualifications while helping local communities and industries grow. As it scales, employability must remain the central measure of quality and impact.

That demands coordinated action:

Students need workplace English and employability skills. In a recent survey of employees who speak English as an additional language, 85% said English is important for their work life. Yet 54% of school leavers say school hasn’t equipped them with the level of English they need for work.

Governments and institutions need trusted partners on quality, credibility and equitable access, so TNE raises outcomes, not just enrolments.

And across all of this, we need a policy conversation that brings together education ministries, industry bodies and enterprises to make sure that degrees lead to real jobs. That means defining the core skills for workforce readiness, such as critical thinking, digital literacy, and adaptability

What we’ve learned

From decades of global partnerships, we’ve learned what works. For example, co-designing learning programmes with universities and ministries and upskilling faculty. Because circumstances vary, flexibility is essential: whether that’s a learning in a classroom, a laptop, or an app on your phone, even when Wi-Fi isn’t guaranteed.

Enterprises I speak to are clear that, in the age of AI, learning and assessments must develop the employability skills graduates need on day one. And we need robust mechanisms to credential specific skills. Digital badges, micro-credentials, and employer-endorsed certifications can give learners proof of what they can do, and help organisations make confident hiring decisions.

Whether in London or Delhi, the hope is the same: a fair shot at a good first job.

If we measure success by time-to-first-role, internship conversion and employer satisfaction, we can build educational models that genuinely improve outcomes. That’s what I want for my own children, and for every learner we serve.

About the author: Sharon Hague is a global growth strategist, passionate lifelong learner, and former educator with over 25 years of senior leadership experience at Pearson.

She currently serves as president of Pearson’s English language learning division, the company’s fastest-growing business unit, leading a global team. She is responsible for orchestrating the division’s strategy and driving a technology-powered growth plan, including market expansion, product diversification, and the development of AI-powered tools for corporations and educators.

Sharon also serves as Pearson’s UK CEO, acting as the company’s senior ambassador in its home market. Pearson is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index.

Sharon’s previous roles include managing director of School Qualifications and School Assessment, where she led global sales and operations for Pearson’s K-12 businesses. She has worked extensively with governments, schools, and partners to deliver services that help learners make progress in their lives.