A sustainable future Youth unemployment

Youth unemployment

Improving the job prospects of young people improves the future of society. Initiatives that offer training and counseling can help address the youth unemployment problem.

A growing issue

The youth unemployment rate among all 15-24 year-olds in OECD countries in 2015 was 13.9 percent. In several countries, the numbers were truly daunting: 49.8 percent in Greece, 48.4 percent in Spain, and 40.3 percent in Italy. In Switzerland the number was 8.6 percent.

Youth unemployment in OECD countries

Youth unemployment in OECD countries 

Total, % of youth labour force, 2015 (Source: OECD)
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A springboard to the future

Starting a career sets the course for the future. Thousands of young adults are unable to find a first job after completing an apprenticeship or obtaining a degree. The situation is at least as difficult for young people who have not yet obtained training. The longer they stay unemployed, the greater the danger of permanent exclusion from their chosen profession, if not the workforce. This has long-term damaging consequences for society.

Tackling this challenge has become imperative. A variety of initiatives taken show that the problem can be ameliorated, improving the situation for individual young people and for society at large.

30

CHF million of investments to improve job prospects

8800

young adults received support in five years