More youngsters are leaving school without any qualification

© ANP / Flip Franssen
Twenty percent of young people aged 15 to 26 who were not in education in Q2 2024 had no basic qualification from secondary education. Three years ago, this share was 17 percent. Young people with a basic qualification were more likely to be in employment than those without. Statistics Netherlands (CBS) reports this on the basis of the National Youth Monitor.
In the second quarter of 2024, 176 thousand young people who had left school had no basic qualification (a diploma from secondary education, such as HAVO, VWO or MBO-2). That was 50 thousand up on Q2 2021. The number of young people who had left school and did pass their exams increased by 72 thousand to 697 thousand over the same period.

Young people not in education (15-26 yrs), Q2
JaarWith a basic qualification (x 1,000)Without basic qualification (x 1,000)
2021625126
2022650138
2023648158
2024697176

Youngsters who have passed their school leaving exams are more likely to be in employment

In Q2 2024, 90 percent of young people not in education who had a basic qualification from secondary education were in employment, compared with 69 percent of those without.

In total, there were 54 thousand young people without any basic qualifications who were neither in education nor in employment. Fifteen thousand of them were unemployed, but were seeking for a job and immediately available for work. The remaining 39 thousand were part of the non-working population and had not recently searched for a job and/or were not available for work. Illness or incapacity for work was the most frequently mentioned reason for this.

Among young people that had a basic qualification, 67 thousand were neither in employment nor in education: 32 thousand were unemployed and 35 thousand were part of the unemployed labour force. Compared to Q2 2021, more young people were neither in employment nor education in Q2 2024, regardless of whether they had a basic qualification or not.

Employment status of young people not in education (aged 15-26) without employment, Q2
StartkwalificatieJaarUnemployed (x 1,000)Non-employed labour force (x 1,000)
With a basic qualification20212139
With a basic qualification20222532
With a basic qualification20232729
With a basic qualification20243235
Without basic qualification2021831
Without basic qualification2022537
Without basic qualification20231342
Without basic qualification20241539

Youngsters without any basic qualifications are more likely to be in permanent employment

Young people who have a basic qualification from secondary education are more likely to have job security in the form of permanent employment than those without. In Q2 2024, 46 percent of those not in education who have a basic qualification were in permanent employment. That was 31 percent among those without any basic qualifications. The difference was smaller than in Q2 2021, when 44 percent and 26 percent, respectively, had permanent employment contracts.

At the same time, young people not in education that have no basic qualification were more likely to be self-employed than those that do have a basic qualification: 12 percent versus 8 percent. The difference was not as significant as in Q2 2021, when it was 8 percent and 7 percent, respectively.

Employment status of young people not in education (aged 15-26), Q2
StartkwalificatieJaarEmployee with a permanent contract (%)Employee with a flexible employment contract (%)Self-employed person (%)
With a basic qualification202144.2548.856.90
With a basic qualification202445.5646.677.78
Without basic qualification202126.4465.528.05
Without basic qualification202431.4057.0211.57

Sources

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