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Some may escape EU joblessness in tertiary education

Thursday, September 1, 2016

High tertiary education rates in unemployment blackspots will not necessarily mean a more highly skilled workforce later

High and low education participation rates correlate with high and low unemployment. In prosperous economies students can work part-time, not so in the poor performers.

Source: Eurostat

Outlook

Of the six EU member states with the highest 20-24 age-group unemployment rates, four have the highest rates for full-time education. More people are now in full-time education in the EU (33.0% in 2015, from 29.7% in 2006). Yet in Spain, comparing 2006 with 2015 suggests the unemployed could be resorting to education: before Spain's recession, when unemployment was below the EU average, 29% of Spaniards were exclusively in education and 44% in full-time work; the respective figures now are 46% and 22%.

However, in Greece, 20-24 unemployment shot up from 23.8% in 2006 to 48.8% in 2015, but tertiary participation was already relatively high: 43.5% in 2006 compared with 49.7% in 2015. It also has the EU's second-highest 20-24 NEET rate (not in employment, education or training, 26.1%). Greece is hardly emerging from recession with a skilled workforce.

Impacts

  • Future employability will depend on several factors including quality of teaching and resources.
  • Spending on tertiary education is unlikely to be a priority in austerity; seven EU states spent less than 1% of GDP in 2012.
  • A tradition of high participation in tertiary education may be due to long-term unemployment patterns or other persistent cultural factors.
  • Going to college will also depend on a supportive family and the national funding system.

See also