The kind of life preparation that this researcher describes cannot be provided in a school setting; it must come from the parents.
During my teaching career I was truly astounded to encounter 16-year-old boys who had never used a hammer before in their lives.
I went to an elite public high school in suburban NY. I took all the AP classes I could. I graduated from college and medical school with honors, and I’ve done OK for the past 40 years.
The three most valuable classes I took in HS were wood shop, metal shop, and electrical shop.
Of course, they don’t offer those any more.