Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Dedication
- Contents
- List of Figures, Tables and Boxes
- Notes on Contributors
- Preface
- 1 Introduction
- 2 Acceptable Jobs and the Epidemic of Youth Unemployment in Southern Italy
- 3 No Jobs, No Hope: The Future of Youth Employment in Spain
- 4 Dirigisme Pour L’Ordinaire: Vocational Training in 21st Century France
- 5 Educating Youth for Future Unemployment in Greece
- 6 Labor Market Policies to Fight Youth Unemployment in Portugal: Between Statism and Experimentalism
- 7 Adaptability of the German Vocational Model to Mediterranean Countries
- 8 US Style Entrepreneurship as a Pathway to Youth Employment: Exporting the Promise
- 9 Grading the Implementation Prospects: Where Do We Go from Here?
- Index
3 - No Jobs, No Hope: The Future of Youth Employment in Spain
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 14 April 2023
- Frontmatter
- Dedication
- Contents
- List of Figures, Tables and Boxes
- Notes on Contributors
- Preface
- 1 Introduction
- 2 Acceptable Jobs and the Epidemic of Youth Unemployment in Southern Italy
- 3 No Jobs, No Hope: The Future of Youth Employment in Spain
- 4 Dirigisme Pour L’Ordinaire: Vocational Training in 21st Century France
- 5 Educating Youth for Future Unemployment in Greece
- 6 Labor Market Policies to Fight Youth Unemployment in Portugal: Between Statism and Experimentalism
- 7 Adaptability of the German Vocational Model to Mediterranean Countries
- 8 US Style Entrepreneurship as a Pathway to Youth Employment: Exporting the Promise
- 9 Grading the Implementation Prospects: Where Do We Go from Here?
- Index
Summary
Introduction
In order to understand youth unemployment in Spain, it is necessary to acknowledge that (a) it has been a persistent phenomenon in the last three decades; (b) the recent economic and financial crisis has hit youth harder than any other group; and (c) chronic youth unemployment is quite uneven across regions in Spain, with Andalucía reporting unemployment rates almost double that of Basque country and more than triple that of the EU-28 in 2018.
Youth unemployment problems in Spain are associated fundamentally with economic growth rates, human capital development and active labor market policies. In this chapter, we focus more on the human capital factors that either promote or depress youth unemployment and on the Spanish labor market policy efforts that have targeted youth. To be sure, Spain does not traditionally have specific policies or legislation that pertain only to youth, but any efforts aimed at the educational system as a whole, and other active labor market policies that relate to this segment of the population, can be considered under the ‘catch-all’ umbrella of youth-oriented policies.
In what follows, we review the nature and magnitude of youth unemployment in Spain and the regional variations. We explore the causes for these high rates, and discuss the Spanish government's efforts in boosting both the educational and labor market opportunities for youth, and whether these efforts have borne fruit. We also consider the German apprenticeship model and the American entrepreneurship model as potential ways out of high rates of youth unemployment for Spain.
The nature of youth unemployment in Spain
Youth unemployment in Spain has remained quite high in the last three decades (Scandura et al, 2018) and, as Figure 3.1 shows, the 2008 economic downturn hit youth the hardest (Carcillo et al, 2015). Young people are more vulnerable because of the transitionary life periods they are going through, their lack of professional experience, sometimes inadequate education or training, often limited social protection coverage, restricted access to financial resources, and precarious working conditions. Furthermore, some young people are at a particular disadvantage or at risk of discrimination. Appropriate supportive measures are therefore required, while recognizing young people's individual responsibility in finding an entry into economic activity (Council of the European Union, 2013).
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- The Growing Challenge of Youth Unemployment in Europe and AmericaA Cross-Cultural Perspective, pp. 51 - 78Publisher: Bristol University PressPrint publication year: 2021