Fewer school-leavers without starter qualification

The number of 15 to 25-year-olds without starter qualification who are no longer attending education has dropped significantly over the past decade. On average, unemployment among young people who are no longer in school and lack a starter qualification is nearly twice as high as among those sufficiently qualified.

9 percent of young people have no starter qualification

The category of 15 to 25-year-olds comprised 2 million people in 2009; 9 percent ((185 thousand individuals) no longer attended any form of education or training and did not have a starter qualification either. The proportion of young without starter qualification declined considerably from 15 percent in 2001 to 9 percent in 2009.

Young people without starter qualification not attending any form of education (aged 15–25)

Girls less often leave school without starter qualification

The proportion of 15 to 25-year-old girls without starter qualification dropped from 13 to 7 percent over the period 2001–2009. For boys, the proportion fell from 16 to 11 percent. There are still more boys than girls who no longer go to school and have no starter qualification ((72 thousand girls and 113 thousand boys in 2009).

15 to 25-year-olds without starter qualification not attending any form of education by gender

Unemployment twice as high among school-leavers without starter qualification

Most young people no longer attending any form of education or training enter the labour market looking for jobs. Irrespective of the economic situation, the unemployment rate among young without a starter qualification appears to be nearly twice as high as among qualified young people. In 2008, when economic conditions were favourable, 8 percent of young people who had left school without starter qualification were unemployed versus 4 percent of young who were sufficiently qualified. Last year, when economic conditions were tough, the proportions were 12 and 7 percent respectively.

Unemployment among 15 to 25-year-olds not attending any form of education by starter qualification

Doreen Ewalds and Robert de Vries