A teacher nearing retirement leaves behind more than an empty classroom. Finding someone with the right subject knowledge, qualifications and willingness to work in the same school can be much harder than simply filling a vacant post. That challenge is becoming more common as education systems grow older with less youngsters joining the teacher workforce. In Lithuania, 42% of primary and secondary teachers were aged 55 or older in 2024. The share was 38% in both Latvia and Estonia, 37% in Portugal and 33% in Greece.

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), a group of 38 countries that compares data and policies across areas including education, employment and the economy, is tracking this shift as part of a wider teacher recruitment problem.

Across OECD countries and partner economies, teachers aged 55 and above made up 23% of the teaching workforce in 2024, up from 20% in 2015. During the same period, the share of teachers under 35 fell from 23% to 22%. When experienced teachers retire, schools need qualified people ready to take their place. The problem is finding them is becoming difficult.

The Problem Bigger Than Empty Posts

A school can have a teacher shortage even when every classroom has someone standing in front of it. In 2024/25, 9.1% of primary and secondary teachers across OECD countries were not fully qualified. Around 4% of secondary teaching positions were unfilled at the beginning of the school year in both Latvia and Luxembourg.

The shortages are not spread evenly. Rural and remote schools, disadvantaged communities and subjects such as mathematics and natural sciences face particular difficulties in finding teachers. That makes an ageing workforce more complicated.

A teacher who retires from a mathematics classroom cannot simply be replaced by any available teacher. Schools need someone with the required subject knowledge and qualifications, and that person also has to be willing to work in that particular school or area.

Lithuania shows how these pressures can overlap. About 43% of its secondary teachers are already aged 55 or older. At the same time, its population aged 5 to 14 is projected to fall by 22% between 2024 and 2033. Fewer children may eventually mean fewer teachers are needed overall. But that does not guarantee that the teachers who remain will be in the right places or teach the subjects schools need

When Younger Teachers Leave?

There is another problem: bringing young people into teaching is only part of the challenge. Keeping them there matters too. Across countries and economies with available data, 6.4% of fully qualified primary and secondary teachers left the profession during the 2024/25 school year. Teachers with fewer than five years of experience accounted for more than one-third of resignations on average.

In some education systems, the share was much higher. Early-career teachers accounted for 77% of resignations in Israel, 69% in Austria, 66% in the French Community of Belgium and 64% in Luxembourg. The reasons vary. Workload, working conditions and the support available during the first years of teaching can influence whether new teachers remain in the profession.

And leaving a school does not always mean leaving education altogether. In Latvia, 12% of fully qualified teachers left the profession in 2024/25. But 37% of those who left moved into other jobs within the education sector. For schools, that still creates a recruitment problem. Experience may remain within education, but it is no longer necessarily available in the classroom where it is needed.

Fewer Children Do Not Solve the Shortage

There is a simple way to look at ageing populations: fewer children should eventually mean fewer teachers. The numbers show why that is not always enough. The population aged 5 to 14 across OECD countries is projected to decline by 9% between 2024 and 2033. Yet between 2015 and 2024, 17 of 40 countries with available data saw primary enrolment decline or remain broadly stable while their teaching workforce continued to grow.

Greece is a striking example. The number of primary students fell by about 12% between 2015 and 2024, but the number of primary teachers increased by 16%. The change was linked to decisions about class sizes, teachers’ working hours and instruction time. In other words, the number of children alone did not determine how many teachers schools needed.

The same issue appears at a local level. A village school may lose students but still need a mathematics teacher. A school serving a remote area cannot necessarily fill a vacancy simply because another school has surplus teachers. Where teachers are needed matters as much as how many are needed.

Teacher Workforce: The Indian Context

India’s teacher workforce is growing, but that does not mean teachers are available where they are needed. UDISE+ recorded 10.12 million teachers in 2024–25, up 6.7% from 2022–23. The national pupil-teacher ratio was 20:1 at primary level, 17:1 at upper primary, 15:1 at secondary and 23:1 at higher secondary.

State-level data tell a different story. NITI Aayog’s 2026 analysis recorded more than 2.08 lakh elementary teacher vacancies in Bihar, 80,341 in Jharkhand and 29,473 in Karnataka. India also had 1,04,125 single-teacher schools in 2024–25. Earlier UNESCO data cited by NITI Aayog showed that 89% of such schools were in rural areas. At secondary level, the national 15:1 ratio rose to 47:1 in Jharkhand and 37:1 in Maharashtra and Odisha.

This makes India’s missing age data significant. UDISE+ does not publish a nationally comparable share of teachers aged 55 and above. Without that information, it is difficult to estimate how many teachers are approaching retirement, which subjects and locations could lose experienced staff, or whether recruitment is keeping pace with potential exits.

The government has begun addressing the planning side of the problem. In July 2026, the Ministry of Education said states were being encouraged to use technology-based teacher requirement forecasting, while NITI Aayog has proposed a digital Human Resource Management Information System to track vacancies, transfers and postings. The four-year Integrated Teacher Education Programme is intended to strengthen the supply of new teachers.

The missing link is workforce forecasting that connects these measures. India needs to know not only how many teachers are in its schools, but their age, subject and location, and how many are likely to retire in the years ahead. That would allow states to anticipate vacancies and recruit for specific schools and subjects before shortages become visible in classrooms.

When Vande Mataram was presented in Indian Sign Language (ISL) at this year’s Sign Language Day event in New Delhi, it was more than a ceremonial performance. It showed how a familiar part of public life can be made accessible through a visual language. But the larger story lies elsewhere. Alongside the ISL rendition, the event brought out a range of new resources, for young children, school students, readers, teachers, interpreters and people accessing educational content online. Together, they point to an effort to take ISL beyond specialised spaces and into more routine parts of life.

India had about 50.7 lakh people with hearing disability, according to the 2011 Census. The figure includes people who were deaf as well as those with difficulty hearing. The Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) has called for ISL to become part of “everyday citizenship”, so that deaf people can take part in public life without communication barriers, said Additional Secretary Manmeet Kaur Nanda.

A Child’s First Lessons

Some of the new material begins at the earliest stage of education. “Sanket Vatika” visual books have been introduced for children aged 3–6. There is also new teaching material for courses that prepare ISL interpreters and teachers. For schoolchildren, ISL videos now cover content from 14 textbooks for Classes 1–6. The material includes 100 personalised adaptive learning videos. Concept-based videos have also been prepared for Classes 9–12.

The idea is to build resources across different stages of schooling rather than leave gaps as children move from one level to another.

More Than Classroom Material

The move into ISL is also reaching books. Three hundred National Book Trust titles have been made accessible in ISL. They include stories, biographies and historical accounts.

The ISL Dictionary has also been expanded into 11 more languages. The stated goal is to eventually cover all 22 Scheduled Languages. For a language to be used widely, its vocabulary has to travel with it. The expansion of the dictionary is one part of that process.

Taking ISL to the Screen

ISL content is now being live-streamed through PM e-Vidya Channel 31 using direct encoder-based streaming. That puts educational material in a format that deaf viewers can access through a dedicated ISL channel, rather than having to rely only on spoken content.

Digital resources and translated material cannot cover every interaction. There is still a need for people who can interpret between ISL and spoken languages. At the event, DEPwD Joint Secretary Rajeev Sharma spoke about the growing demand for ISL interpreters across different fields.

The new teaching material for the Diploma in Indian Sign Language Interpretation and Diploma in Teaching Indian Sign Language courses is part of this effort. It points to a practical challenge: making information available in ISL is one part of access. Having enough trained people to support communication is another.

What this Looks Like in Ordinary Life

The ISL version of Vande Mataram may have been one of the more visible moments at the event. But the changes taking place in classrooms, books and digital learning are closer to the everyday experience of deaf people.

For a young child, it could mean learning a new word from a picture book in ISL. For a student, it could mean following a lesson in a language they understand. For a reader, it could mean picking up a story, biography or history book in ISL. And for someone who needs to communicate directly, it could mean having an interpreter to help bridge the conversation.

Taken together, these efforts are about making ISL useful beyond a classroom or a special occasion, as a language through which deaf people can learn, read, find information and take part in public life. That is what this year’s Sign Language Day, themed “Declaring Deaf People’s Human Rights”, sought to put into focus.

Job readiness for students requires more than academic qualifications. These seven career sutras offer a practical guide to building skills, experience, adaptability and confidence for the transition from college to work.

College life is an exciting time. It is your chance to explore, learn, grow, and get ready for the future. Today’s workplace is changing rapidly, so a degree or qualification alone is not enough. Research on graduate employability consistently identifies transferable skills, career self-development and adaptability as important components of career readiness. Here are some guiding principles, or “sutras,” to help those still in college, or those just out of college and looking for work, get ready for their careers.

Sutra 1: Be a Learner First, a Job‐Seeker Later

The most important skill is learning how to learn. Studies show that employers look for graduates who can adapt, reflect, and manage themselves. Treat “how I learn” as a project. Ask yourself: What helps me focus? How do I review material? How do I handle tough topics?

• See each assignment as more than just a task to finish. Think about how you got to your answer, what was hard, and what you might do differently next time.
• Think of your degree or educational qualification as a starting point, not the end. At work, you will need to learn new tools, ideas, and technologies quickly. Recent studies highlight that being willing to keep learning is a key quality for getting hired.
• Read deeply, not just quickly. Summaries, extracts, and quick explanations are everywhere now, and they can quietly replace the habit of sitting with a full article, a chapter, or a difficult argument long enough to actually work through it. What you read closely today becomes the vocabulary and the reference points you reach for later, in interviews, in writing, and in decisions. Treat at least some of your reading each week as something to sit with, not something to get through.

Sutra 2: Build Transferable Skills—Communication, Adaptability, Problem Solving & Teamwork

Many studies show that while technical knowledge is important, the skills that really make you stand out are useful in any job. For example, communication, teamwork, adaptability, and problem-solving are among the top skills employers worldwide look for.

• Work on clear communication. Try writing emails, speaking in groups, or explaining your ideas to someone unfamiliar with the subject.
• Look for team projects, either in class or outside, where you can practice working together, sharing roles, and solving disagreements.
• Take on problems without clear answers, such as hackathons, case studies, or social issues. This helps you get used to uncertainty and think about how you solve problems.
• Keep a journal about your skills. Write down when you worked in a team, what went well, what did not, and what you will try next time.

Sutra 3: Develop Digital and Contextual Awareness

Workplaces today are more digital, global, and often a mix of in-person and remote. It is not just about coding, but also about using digital tools, working remotely, and understanding different situations.

• Get comfortable with at least one digital tool important to your field, such as collaboration software, data visualisation, or version control.
• Stay curious about your field. What new technologies are coming up? How are organisations changing?
• Try working on remote teams or giving virtual presentations. These are becoming normal, even for people just starting out.

Sutra 4: Create Meaningful Learning-Work Bridges

Doing well in your studies matters, but employers also want to see that you have linked what you learn to real-world experience. Research on work-integrated learning (WIL) shows it improves communication, professional attitude, transferable skills, and digital literacy.

• Look for internships, short projects, volunteer work, or chances to work with industry, even if they are informal.
• When you get real-world experience, take time to reflect. What was useful from your studies? What surprised you? What will you change next time?
• Pick courses or extra credits that include industry projects, applied work, or client assignments. These experiences help you prepare for work.

Sutra 5: Cultivate Self-Efficacy, Adaptability & Career Agency

Skills matter, but you also need to believe you can use them, adjust when things change, and guide your own path. Research shows that confidence and adaptability are strong predictors of getting hired.

• Grow your confidence by slowly taking on new roles. Try leading a small team, organising a campus or community event, or presenting your work in public.
• Be open to feedback, mistakes, and changes. Being adaptable means you can switch direction when needed.
• Take charge of your career story. Be ready to answer questions like “Why this field?”, “What do I offer?”, and “What kind of changes are happening in the field/s and how do I prepare myself?” Do not wait for someone to ask—practice saying it out loud.

Sutra 6: Align with Interests, Values & Purpose

Getting a job is just the start. It is also about growing, thriving, and finding work that matters to you. Skills are important, but so are purpose, ethics, and a sense of who you are as a professional. Studies show that students who reflect, connect their work to their values, and contribute to society often do better.

• Take time to reflect often. What kind of work excites you? What is important to you in life and at work?
• Pick activities or small projects that connect you to causes, communities, or challenges you care about.
• Always keep ethics and professionalism in mind. How you act and your attitude toward others matter more than you might think.

Sutra 7: Design Your Launch Plan

You are getting close to starting your career. Now is the time to make a plan—not just to get a job, but to launch your career.

• List the roles, industries, or jobs you want. What do job postings ask for? Compare your skills to what employers want—research shows there’s often a gap.
• Set small goals. Update your CV/résumé or LinkedIn profile, complete a project or earn a certificate (nowadays, many free, useful courses are available online), talk to three alumni in your field, visit a company, or publish or present your work.
• Keep track of your progress. Use your skills journal and review each month what you have done and what you plan to do next. This habit of thinking about your learning is linked to better employability.
• Think of each class project, team meeting, internship conversation, hackathon, virtual presentation, or online collaboration as an encounter, not just an event to get through. An encounter is something you actually engage with, not something that simply happens to you while you wait for the next milestone. What separates two students with similar opportunities is often not the opportunities themselves but whether each encounter got noticed and recorded, or passed by unremarked. Your skills journal makes that noticing visible, and visibility is what makes it usable later.
• Find one mentor you keep returning to, not just people you meet once. A single relationship you can bring your documented encounters back to, someone willing to ask harder questions than you would ask yourself, is worth more than a wide list of one-time contacts. Revisit that conversation on a regular rhythm, not only when something has gone wrong.
• Grow your network. Go to industry talks, join student groups, and connect with mentors. Building relationships can open doors.

Final Thoughts

Moving from student to professional is not a straight path. It is more like a winding road where you try things, learn, adjust, and grow. By following these seven sutras, you build a strong base for employability—not just for your first job, but for a meaningful and lasting career.

There is a name for what this record becomes over time: Enacted Career Identity. Who you are professionally is not decided in advance or captured by the story you tell in an interview. It emerges through the encounters you choose, the work you pursue, and the experiences you keep documenting, year by year, until the pattern becomes recognisable as who you are. That is what makes the story in Sutra 5 worth believing: a field may carry little meaning on its own, but a documented trail of encounters can give it real significance.

The record also does more than support an interview answer. Read over time, it reveals the kinds of work that genuinely engaged you—not simply what you thought you should pursue—and can point towards the environments where you are most likely to thrive. It becomes evidence for further study too, showing a pattern of curiosity and choice that a transcript alone cannot. And revisiting it later can give new meaning to experiences that once seemed ordinary or difficult.

Start today. Every assignment, team project, and extra role is a chance to build your skills. With intention, reflection, and action, you will be ready when opportunities come your way.