Romania, Lowest Share of Young People Work and Study at the Same Time among EU Member States
In 2024, Romania had lowest share of young people work and study at the same time among EU member states, according to a study published by Eurostat. With a ratio of only 2.4%, Romania was placed significantly under Greece (6.0%) and Croatia (6.4%) and far from the European average of 25,4%.
The Netherlands (74.3%), Denmark (56.4%) and Germany (45.8%) observed the highest shares of young people working and studying simultaneously. The highest shares of unemployed young people in formal education, who were available for employment and actively seeking employment were recorded in Sweden (14.1%), Finland (10.0%) and Denmark (9.6%). At the other end of the scale, Romania (0.6%), Croatia, Czechia and Hungary (each 0.8%) had less than 1% of young people seeking employment.
Young people’s participation in the labour market varies across EU countries. The reason appears to reflect a mix of factors, including the availability of opportunities to work while studying and the differences in national education and training systems.
Each country has different characteristics and results, but it is possible to group countries based on certain similarities. Figure 2 shows how countries compare based on two indicators for the 15-34 age group. The first indicator is the share of those who are simultaneously in education and in the labour market (horizontal axis), including those who are employed or looking for a job while studying. The second indicator is the level of youth unemployment, measured in terms of the youth unemployment ratio (vertical axis), which describes those who are available for work and still looking for a job. Figure 2 highlights 5 groups of countries, which are described below.
Group 1 comprises countries where the share of young people simultaneously participating in formal education and the labour market is generally low compared to other countries. This group also features low youth unemployment ratios (all below the EU average of 6.1%). In Group 1, Slovenia has the highest proportion of young people in education and the labour market at 13.3% (and the only country in the group above the EU average of 11.6%). Bulgaria and Hungary are at the lower end at only 3.1%. Youth unemployment ratios in Group 1 show Czechia having the lowest at 2.5%, while Hungary reports a higher unemployment ratio of 4.5%.
In Group 2, countries have a relatively high share of young people who are simultaneously engaged in formal education and in the labour market, although there are significant differences within the group. Simultaneous participation in education and the labour market is coupled with moderate youth unemployment ratios in this group. In the Netherlands, 36.4% of young people are in both formal education and the labour market, which is the highest in the EU. Germany and Ireland have high participation rates as well, at 19.0% and 18.7% of young people in education and employment, respectively. Youth unemployment ratios in Group 2 range from 3.6% (Germany) to 5.6% (Austria).
Group 3 contains countries where the youth unemployment ratio is higher than the EU average and simultaneous participation in education and the labour market is generally lower than the EU average (11.6%). Spain and Greece show lower dual participation percentages, at 9.4% and 3.4%, respectively. Both countries show a high youth unemployment ratios, with Spain at 10.1% and Greece at 9.0%.
Group 4 has countries with relatively high shares of young people simultaneously in formal education and in the labour market, combined with unemployment ratios above the EU average. Denmark has the highest share of young people balancing education and employment (28.1%), followed by Finland (25.4%) and Sweden (19.5%). Despite the high dual participation, all 3 countries have higher youth unemployment ratios compared to the EU average (6.1%): 8.0% for Denmark, 8.8% for Finland and 10.1% for Sweden.
In Group 5, the shares of young people in both formal education and the labour market are generally below the EU average (11.6%), except for Estonia (13.2%). Youth unemployment ratios in Group 5 are more varied and generally closer to the EU average. Croatia, Cyprus, Slovakia and Romania all have the same youth unemployment ratio of 5.5%. However, France (7.7%), Estonia (7.6%), Portugal (7.1%) and Luxembourg (6.9%) exhibit slightly higher unemployment rates, above the EU average (6.1%). In this group, Romania has the lowest percentage of young people in both formal education and the labour market, at only 1.2%.
Romania’s position is closest to those of neighbours/new member states but one must notice that the country has higher youth unemployment than Hungary, Bulgaria, Czechia and Poland and less young people simultaneously in formal education than Croatia and Slovakia. So, there are some clues about the measures that ought to be taken in order to improve a clearly bad position in the region.
Interesting from a socio-cultural point of view, the only developed country with a similar pattern as Romania’s is Italy. This, also, should be taken into account in the eventual implementation of a policy that is aimed at increasing the participation of young Romanians in economic activities, even if they are studying. Something considered normal in the northern countries but not for the habits of a “Latin” country.
Nevertheless, the young Romanians that went abroad for various studies are more likely to integrate in local culture and an important percentage of them are simultaneously working and attending courses. Therefore, the problem seems to be located in the Romanian system and not the Romanian mentality itself.
So, there is an important reserve of working force that can be better used and contribute to the national economic output in Romania. Increasing the activity rate towards European standards should be based on the broader participation of the young generation. As they once said in socialist times: “Through work for work”.
Photo source: PxHere.com.
