Why do some countries in Europe suffer from staggeringly high youth unemployment (Greece or Spain with over half of youths out of work *) whereas some others barely notice the problem (Germany or Austria with only one in ten unemployed *)?
In 2013 adult education magazine LLinE published a special issue on the root causes and remedies of youth unemployment in Europe. The articles were produced by a Europe-wide network of experts and are topical as ever. The issue is a free resource for journalists, academics and adult educators.
“Strong family thwarts creativity”
Why exactly is Greece the sick man of Europe? Education and training do not equip youth with the skills and attitudes required in the labor market, argues Professor Alexis Kokkos. In fact, the higher the qualification you have, the more likely you are to be unemployed. Furthermore, strong familial support thwarts social networking and problem-solving skills needed in the labour market.
Alexis Kokkos: Need of enhancing core skills: the Greek case
“We have employment benefits, not unemployment benefits”
Singapore’s youth unemployment (around 6,7 % in 2014 **) is among the lowest in the world. The secrets behind the city state’s success are idiosyncratic: dividing students into groups based on ability, centrally planned manpower and social benefits tied to employment.
But can the youth employment miracle last under the pressure of an ageing population and rising unemployment in neighboring areas?
Rebecca Ye: Youth unemployment in Singapore: an Overview
Other highlights:
Traditional folk high schools motivate school drop-outs back into learning.
Pia Cort: Motivating young people for education
Germany, Austria and Switzerland have low youth unemployment. What could we learn from them?
Lassnigg, Schmitz & Strahm: What are they doing right -3 cases
Summary of the issue’s insights and recommendations
Markus Palmén: Why youth unemployment? An afterword
LLinE is a free online magazine focusing on adult education and lifelong learning. It is published by the Finnish Lifelong Learning Foundation. Order the LLinE newsletter here.
References
*data for under 25-years-old from June 2015, Eurostat, Retrieved from http://www.tradingeconomics.com/euro-area/unemployment-rate
** data for 1st January 2014, CIA World Factbook, Retrieved from http://www.indexmundi.com/g/r.aspx?v=2229
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