Youth and employment in Europe : a dead-end?

ETUC Youth conference

by Marie-Anne RobberechtMadrid 26-28 August 2010

Target group: Youth

Definition« Youth may be considered as a transition phase, between a world of rather secure development to a world of choice where individuals have to choose and plan their own social integration» (Eurostat)

• The passage from a dependant childhood to independant adulthood:

Milestones: age, age-limit for child-benefits, voting age, end of compulsory education…

This report focuses on population aged between 15 and 29.

Demography: close to 100 million young people live in the EU

Key figures relating to demography

• Currently 96 million young people aged 15-29 live in the EU.

• Young people aged 15-29 constitute 19,4% of the total population within the EU (a fifth).

• Projected share of young people in 2050: 15,3% of the total population.

Education

Many pathes lead to the labour market

Useful concept and definitions by the International Standard of Classification of Education

(ISCED)• Level 1 and 2 : Primary and Lower-secondary education (compulsory

education)

• Level 3 : (Upper) secondary education: begins at the end of compulsory education. Entrance age: 15 or 16.

• Level 4: Post-secondary non tertiary education: pre-degree foundation courses or short vocational programs

• Level 5: First stage of tertiary education: theoretically based programms (history, philosophy, mathematics, etc); giving access to professions with high skill requirements (medecine, dentistry, architecture..)

• Level 6: Second stage of tertiary education: leading to an advanced research qualification

Most young people are entering upper-secondary education after the end of

compulsory education…

Note: At the age of 19, more than 60% of young people are still in formal educationNote: At the age of 19, more than 60% of young people are still in formal education

By ISCED 3, choosing the programme: general or vocational?

Source: ISCED, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

General education Education which is mainly designed to lead participants to a deeper understanding of

a subject, especially with a view to preparing participants for further education at the same or a higher level.

Succesfull completion may or may not provide the participants with a labour-market relevant qualification.

These programmes are typically school-based.

Vocational education Education which is mainly designed to lead participants to acquire the practical skills,

know-how and understanding necessary for employment in a particular occupation or trade.

Successful completion of such programmes lead to a labour-market relevant vocational qualification recognised by the competent authorities in the country in which it is obtained (e.g. Ministry of Education, employers’ associations, etc.).

A gender gap in upper secondary education: more women than men in general education

• Attending general programmes: 54% of girls 43% of boys

• Attending vocational programmes: 46% of girls 53% of boys

A great part of 19 years old are engaged in ISCED 3 and 6

More students in the knowledge triangle: education, research and innovation

• Notes:

The number of tertiary education students has increased by nearly 25 % between 1998 and 2006.

In 2006: 19 million students in the tertiary field in the EU

Notes: 15 % of the population aged between 18

and 34 attend tertiary education

More than half of the countries show attendance rates higher than 15%

Low rates for Cyprus, Malta and Luxemburg: young people are studying abroad

More women than men

Young people in tertiary education are full-time students, which leads to higher dependance

Learning foreign languages : « a key for the future! »

• Many mother tongues are « the ability to understand and communicate in more than one language is a desirable life-skill for all Europeancitizens. It enables people to take advantage of the freedom to work or study in another Member State » (European’s Commission communication on a New Framework Strategy for multilinguism (2005)

• At EU level: less than 10% of pupils in upper-secondary education (ISCED 3) do not learn any foreign language

• Pupils in vocational education at ISCED 3: 64% learn one language, 24% learn two languages

• Pupils in general education at ISCED 3: nearly all pupils learn at least one language

• Note: in Portugal and the UK, 40% do not learn any foreign language!

« Learning mobility should be provided to all young people in Europe »

• Since 1987, Erasmus has supported more than 2 million students

The phenomenon of « early school leavers » is decreasing…

…but still exists

Countries with the highest values: Malta, Portugal, Spain, Italy and

Cyprus

Countries with the lowest values: Slovenia, Slovakia, Poland and

Czech Republic

The average of ESL is now standing at 14,8% in the EU

Employment

More difficulties to enter the labour-market for young people

Transition from school to work takes place between 18 and 24

• Half of 20 year-old young people were on the EU labour market in 2007

• In 2007, the majority of 15 year olds were in education and economically inactive (exception: Denmark)

• Transition time: between 18 and 24 Among 18 year olds, 59% were

exclusively in education At the age of 24, the majority were

active

• In a majority of Member States, 70% of 29 year olds were economically active and no longer in education

Employment rate is higher by age group 25-29

than by age group 15-24

Focus on activity

Studying while working

Precarity of contracts Temporary work: stepping-stone or trap?

Precarity of contractsPart-time jobs

Young entrepreneurs : being self-sufficient is attractive, but too much administrative barriers

remains

The higher the level of education, the lower the risk of unemployment

Notes :• High educated people:

16% are economically inactive

• People with a most secondary lower education : 65% are economically inactive

Young people are much more concerned by unemployment than their elders at EU level

Unemployment in the Member States: a very large spectrum

Unemployment rates, age group 15-24 the lowest : Netherlands and Denmark below 10% : Austria, Ireland and

Lithuania above 20% : Greece, Italy, Poland,

Romania, Slovakia Raise of 5%: Sweden, Portugal, Hungary

and Luxemburg

Unemployment rates, age group 25-29 above 10%: Greece, Portugal, Italy,

Spain, France Raise of 7% in Portugal!

Both groups Gender gap: more women than men are

unemployed

Long-term unemployment and NEET: risk of social exclusion

• NEET: Not currently Engaged in Employment, Education or Training In 2007, more than on third of young people aged 15-24 were NEET

One in five young people living at risk of poverty (share of persons

with an income below 60% of the national median income)

Living conditions : difficult to become independent!

Thank you for your attention !