This second theme report in 2018 deals with young people in the labour market. This report is based on a supplementary survey in 2016 addressed to people aged 15-34 years and consisting of two different parts. One part was about educational background, with a focus on work experience during studies. The other part was about the transition from studies to work.

Working while studying is common practice in Sweden

In the EU, the rate of people in the age group 15-34 years not working while studying was 54 percent, which is lower than seven years previously, when 65 percent did not work while studying. The lowest rate of persons not working while studying, 8 percent, was in Finland, and the second lowest rate, 17 percent, was in Sweden. The highest rate was in Romania and Greece. Having a combination of paid and unpaid work was the most common situation among young people; having only unpaid work was most common only in a few countries.

The employment rate was lower among people who did not work while studying, compared with the whole age group in all countries, except Germany and the Czech Republic. The difference between groups was greatest in the Netherlands, Hungary and Sweden. In Sweden, the employment rate among people who did not work while studying was 18.2 percentage points lower compared with the whole age group 15–34 years.

A comparison of unemployment in the whole age group 15–34 years with unemployment among those not working while studying indicates that unemployment was higher among people who did not work while studying, in all countries except the Czech Republic and Romania. Among EU Member States, the average difference was 3.3. percentage points. Differences between the groups were greatest in Sweden, where unemployment was 8.6 percentage points higher among those not working while studying.

The most common way to find a job was via friends, acquaintances and relatives. In the EU Member States, 32.1 percent of employees had found their current job this way. This was followed by job advertisements or direct contact with the employer. Finding a job via a public employment service was least common - only 4.1 percent of employees specified this answer option.

Not willing to move for a job – 72.5 percent

In the EU Member States, on average 77 percent of persons aged 15–34 years would not be willing to change their place of residence for a job. Also, they were not willing to commute for longer than one hour to work. Among the respondents, 23.8 percent either commuted or could consider commuting for longer than one hour for a job. Young people in the Netherlands and Turkey were least willing to commute.

In Sweden, 72.5 percent of young persons would not be willing to change their residence for a job and 72.2 percent would not be willing to commute for longer than one hour. Younger people (15-24 years), persons with only compulsory education, foreign born persons, and men would be more willing to change residence and commute for a job compared with other groups.

In Sweden, the proportion of employed persons aged 25-34 years who stated that they had a job that to a large extent corresponded to their education was 63.9 percent among those with a post-secondary education, while among those with compulsory education, the proportion was 26.6 percent.

A more detailed account can be found in the report Ungas situation på arbetsmarknaden 2016 (pdf).