Youth unemployment in Europe is unacceptably high. One in five young people under 25 are out of work – and in some Southern European countries such as Spain it’s as high as one in two. Lacking work experience and all too often technical skills, Europe’s young people present a truly daunting challenge to politicians and policymakers; how in the short term can jobs be found for so many school-leavers and what measures could create a motivated new generation of entrepreneurs and innovators?
However, paradoxical though it may seem, rising unemployment, especially amongst young people, is accompanied by an increasingly severe labour shortage in Europe. In 2012, despite rising joblessness, there were 4 million unfilled jobs in the EU. Would-be employers complain above all about the lack of technically qualified job seekers, and by 2015 the shortage across Europe of high-tech personnel will be close to three quarters of a million. What should a comprehensive and far-sighted EU jobs strategy consist of?
To examine some of these questions in greater detail, Debating Europe and the League of Young Voters are jointly organising an event entitled “Choose Your Future!” focusing on youth unemployment and education in the run-up to the 2014 European Parliament elections. The event will be hosted by Microsoft Europe on Tuesday 21st January from 11:30 to 12:30 in the new Microsoft Centre in Brussels, with media partner Euronews.
Join the debate!
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