Left Behind or Opting Out?

Especially in light of the skilled labor shortage, these young people often face prejudice. The media refers to a "Generation NEET" and repeatedly asks what can be done to bring this group into work or education. Caroline Schnelle and Clemens Wieland have written a fact sheet to support the somewhat emotional debate with data and facts. 

At the end of 2023, there were approximately 626,000 NEETs between the ages of 15 and 24 in Germany. NEET is an acronym for “Not in Employment, Education, or Training”, which has recently gained traction in the media and politics in light od the skilled labor shortage. Unfortunately, the term has quickly become a catch-all accusation against today's youth, suggesting that they would rather "hang out" than get an education or a job. Caroline Schnelle and Clemens Wieland took this as an opportunity to write "Left Behind or Opting Out? Fact Sheet NEETs 2024" to examine the situation on the basis of empirical data and facts. 

The number of NEETs has increased slightly over the past year: by the end of 2023, there were around 626,000 young people aged 15-24 who are not in education, employment, training or education. This is over 50,000 more than at the end of 2022. The current rise in NEETs coincides with a prolonged period of economic weakness in Germany. 

NEETs are in their current status for various reasons: some have just left school and are taking some time before starting vocational training or higher education. Others have already completed their education or training and are now looking for their first job. The NEET category also includes young people who are unable to work, for example because of chronic illness or because they are caring for young children. Finally, NEETs include young people who have lost their way in finding the right career path or who have given up in frustration after unsuccessful job applications. NEETs are therefore a very heterogeneous group, both in terms of their life situations and their demographic characteristics. Measures to reduce the number of NEETs can therefore never target the group as a whole. 

It is necessary to take a closer look at the target groups in need of support. This is important because public perception focuses primarily on the shortage of skilled labour and unfilled apprenticeships. Rightly so, because there are indeed more and more unfilled apprenticeships. At the same time, however, many applicants are unable to find a training place, which means that not every interested candidate is given the opportunity to obtain a vocational qualification. In addition to the macroeconomic dimension, it is also important to enable these young people to obtain a vocational qualification - this is the only way to permanently reduce the rate of unqualified individuals. 

Reducing the risk of long-term NEET requires action at all stages of the educational pathway. In the school system, it is crucial to identify children and young people at risk at an early stage and to support their further development. In the area of vocational training, it is essential to give as many young people as possible the opportunity to receive training and to support them along the way. In continuing education, more opportunities for partial qualifications and catch-up vocational qualifications are needed to pave the way for unqualified people to obtain a regular vocational qualification.