Invisible but not absent: reimagining career ecosystems for NEET youth in Thailand

Purpose This study investigates how national policies, community-based initiatives, and socio-cultural dynamics interact to shape sustainable career ecosystems for NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training) youth in Thailand. Addressing Sustainable Development Goal 8 on decent work and economic growth, it seeks to understand how structural, emotional, and cultural factors influence young people’s transitions from education to employment in an unequal and rapidly changing society. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative multi-site case study was conducted across three provinces, Chiang Rai, Ubon Ratchathani, and Samut Sakhon, representing diverse geographical and socio-economic contexts. The study drew on 30 semi-structured interviews and two focus group discussions with NEET youth, educators, and community stakeholders. Data were analysed thematically to identify cross-cutting patterns and contextual variations. Findings Four interrelated themes emerged: (1) fragmentation between policy design and local implementation; (2) emotional disengagement shaped by shame and invisibility; (3) culturally embedded decision-making influenced by familial obligation and kreng jai; and (4) the anchoring role of local institutions, such as กศน. centres, temples, and NGOs in rebuilding youth confidence and belonging. These findings reframe NEET status from individual apathy to systemic exclusion. Research limitations/implications The study focuses on three provincial cases and qualitative insights; future research could expand to mixed-method or longitudinal designs. The findings advance the concept of “sustainable career ecosystems” by integrating emotional and cultural dimensions often overlooked in policy frameworks. Practical implications Policymakers should decentralize implementation, strengthen emotional support within career programs, and institutionalize partnerships with community-based and non-formal learning providers to reach marginalized youth effectively. Social implications This research highlights how systems of exclusion, such as bureaucratic barriers, cultural misalignment, and emotional invisibility impact marginalized youth. It emphasizes the need to recognize NEET youth not as deficient, but as navigating relational and structural complexity. Socially, the study calls for a more compassionate and participatory model of youth development, one that values care, inclusion, and dignity. Strengthening local career ecosystems has the potential to reduce inequality, empower rural youth, and promote social cohesion by re-rooting education and employment systems within culturally meaningful relationships. Originality/value This paper contributes a culturally grounded model of sustainable career ecosystems for NEET youth, demonstrating how relational and affective dimensions can inform inclusive and context-sensitive career development policies in emerging economies.