The Career Advice Students Aren't Getting in School | Episode 12 with Shwetangna Chakrabarty

Are schools preparing young people for an AI-driven future? 🎓🤖 And how do you choose a career when the world of work keeps changing? In Episode 12 of The Global Seat, I sit down with Shwetangna Chakrabarty, an international education professional with over 18 years of experience, to explore career uncertainty, artificial intelligence, university degrees and whether traditional education is preparing students for the future. This conversation is particularly special to me! Shwetangna helped me choose my IGCSE subjects back in 2018. Eight years later, we're reconnecting to discuss how education has changed and what still needs to. 🎙️ MEET OUR GUEST Shwetangna Chakrabarty is a Senior Manager at the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO), where she leads the Enhancing Middle Years Programme (MYP) project. She also serves as Co-Chair of the IB's Opportunity and Belonging Advisory Council. 💡 IN THIS EPISODE: 🎓 Choosing subjects and careers when you're unsure about your future 💭 Four practical questions to help you find your direction 🤖 AI in education, cognitive offloading and critical thinking 📚 Rethinking exams, grades and traditional assessments 🌍 Skills students need for the future of work 🎓 University degrees vs. real-world experience ⚖️ Educational inequality, privilege and opportunity 💜 Student wellbeing, identity and belonging We also explore a bigger question: If AI can complete assignments in seconds, what should schools actually be teaching and assessing? Whether you're a student figuring out your next steps, a parent supporting career decisions or an educator navigating change, this conversation offers practical insights into preparing for an uncertain future. 💬 JOIN THE CONVERSATION If you could change ONE thing about the education system to better prepare young people for the future, what would it be? Share your thoughts below, and don't forget to like, comment and subscribe! 💜 ⏱️ CHAPTERS 0:00 - Welcome and meet Shwetangna Chakrabarty 4:03 - Why careers are less linear than you think 5:42 - Choosing subjects at 15–16 6:18 - Four questions to find your direction 10:04 - Practical ways to explore early 13:40 - Imposter syndrome and "wrong" choices 18:04 - Cross-disciplinary careers 21:23 - Keeping your options open 25:13 - The future belongs to connectors, not specialists 27:44 - Building your toolkit 30:05 - AI and the human skills that matter 31:26 - Cognitive offloading vs. outsourcing 38:07 - How assessment is changing in the AI era 46:02 - Privilege, access and opportunity 49:32 - Educating for human capabilities 52:30 - One practical thing to do this week 54:27 - Key takeaways and goodbye 🌍 ABOUT THE GLOBAL SEAT Hosted by Izza Atif, The Global Seat brings together voices from around the world to explore leadership, identity, careers, culture and the issues shaping young people today. Every Story Deserves a Seat at the Table. 💜 🔗 CONNECT WITH SHWETANGNA LinkedIn:   / shwetangna-chakrabarty-26211017   Articles: https://blog.tieonline.com/category/s... 🔗 CONNECT WITH THE GLOBAL SEAT Website: https://theglobalseat.com/ Instagram:   / theglobalseat   Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7MSSjLO... Izza's LinkedIn:   / izzaatif   #TheGlobalSeat #FutureOfEducation #AIInEducation #CareerAdvice #FutureOfWork #ShwetangnaChakrabarty #InternationalBaccalaureate #CareerGuidance #CriticalThinking #YouthEmpowerment