New to the workforce? Let the EU make your road to employment easier

Statistics show that young people are among the hardest hit as soon as difficult times arise. But these numbers only reinforce the importance of initiatives to create opportunities for the next generation:

Following the financial crisis of the late 2000s, the youth unemployment rate of people under 25 years old peaked at almost 25 % in 2013.
Currently, there are 8 million young people not in education, employment or training (NEETs).
1 in 4 young adults are at risk of poverty and social exclusion, and 40% find it difficult or very difficult to make ends meet.
For many years, youth unemployment has stayed at roughly twice the level of overall unemployment.

As of April 2024, unemployment among European youth has stabilised at 14.5 %, which is an improvement over the levels recorded almost 10 years ago. Building on that, the EU has made it its mission to reduce it even further. Below are some key initiatives.

Pathways to youth work

The Youth Guarantee is a commitment to offer all young people under 30 a quality opportunity within 4 months of them becoming unemployed or leaving education. This opportunity can include continued education, employment, apprenticeships or traineeships. It aims to ensure that affected youth receive appropriate career-related guidance, as well as the right support to access training programmes when they need to improve their skills. So far, the initiative has matched 57 million young people with the right opportunities for them.

The Youth Employment Initiative mainly targets NEETs and those who have been jobless for an extended period. The Initiative was integrated into the European Social Fund+ (ESF+) programme for 2021-2027. This means that countries with NEET rates above the EU average such as Greece, Italy, Lithuania and Romania are required to spend at least 12 % of their ESF+ resources on supporting young people.

Are you interested in an apprenticeship that will help you bridge the gap between education and work? Recognising that this can be an important in-between step for many young people, the EU has launched the European Alliance for Apprenticeships. It’s a platform targeting employers, training institutions, youth organisations, public authorities and research groups, to improve the availability, quality and reputation of apprenticeships across Europe. So far, it has brought together more than 500 stakeholders, who have committed to providing over 3 million training and job opportunities to young workers.

Recognising the value of youth work, the EU is investing in its younger citizens by providing targeted funding, information on job and training opportunities, as well as quality apprenticeships and traineeships. Such initiatives exist to empower young people like you to fulfil their true potential!

Ready to spread your career wings? Let EURES show you the way! The campaign ‘Your career takes you places’ is dedicated to supporting university or vocational training students, trainees and apprentices looking for their first job abroad. Visit the dedicated webpage for regular updates on new opportunities, and look out for the #withEURES and #EURESjobs hashtags on social media.

European Commission: Youth employment support

Fact sheet: EU youth policy

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