in germany about of young teachers had chosen their career by the end of secondary school while in the united states only about of these teachers of yearold students had chosen to become teachers by the end of secondary school the remaining countries fall between these two extremes by contrast in australia chinese taipei and the united states around half of todays young teachers had decided to work as teachers only after they had left high school possibly because tertiary studies and education systems offer multiple and relatively flexible pathways into the teaching profession