The other day, I watched a young man called Alex stand in front of a room full of strangers and describe how, in primary school, he was "a misbehaving C and D student".

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University probably felt like an impossible dream.

But something changed in year 9, he said. It began with a work experience trip to a high-tech pharmaceutical facility. That opened up a whole new world, shifting his ideas of what was possible.

This week, tens of thousands of year 12 students begin their final exams, taking a step closer to the workforce. For many young people like for Alex, key experiences at school have helped them prepare for what's next.

But for others who didn't have those opportunities, they can be left feeling like they're scrambling up a mountain without the right gear.

Education is a game-changer, opening doors to opportunity. But not all young people have equal access to its benefits. I've met teenagers like Alex, whose poor grades and inability to focus stem not from a lack of potential, but from the weight of their family's financial struggles.

For young people like this, their education is shaped by barriers, more often than not, beyond their control. And when they do leave school, many - despite their hard work and resilience - are running on empty, underprepared for life outside the classroom.

Students from disadvantaged backgrounds often lack access to quality careers advice, networks and mentors to guide their choices. Unlike their more privileged peers, they don't have........

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