Here’s looking at you, kids: An international perspective on youth unemployment

via The Work Founation News by Dan Wainwright

Europe is facing a crisis of youth unemployment according to Mr. Stefano Scarpetta, Deputy Director of Employment, Labour, and Social Affairs at the OECD, at a recent conference organised by The Work Foundation.

Despite some recent progress, youth unemployment is too high and falling too slowly. Given the well-documented costs (Youth unemployment: the crisis we cannot afford from the ACEVO Commission on Youth Unemployment (PDF 128pp)) to the individual (wage scarring, welfare dependency, mental and physical health) and to society (wasted potential, lower productivity, public finance drain), it’s not surprising that supporting unemployed young people into work is a priority for governments across Europe.

A new report from The Work Foundation, International Lessons: Youth unemployment in the global context (PDF 52pp) draws on in depth case-studies of four countries to suggest what a robust policy response could look like in the UK.

Germany, which has the lowest youth unemployment rate across Europe (it has actually fallen since the start of the recession), has put apprenticeships front and centre. Their highly successful dual apprenticeship system provides high quality training, excellent corporate links and recognised, well-regarded qualifications, and is an excellent model of how to provide young people with the skills they need in the labour market.

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