The reference is to the so-called NEET indicator – from the English Not in Employment, Education or Training – that is, young people not engaged in employment, education, or vocational training.
The latest study showed this indicator at 10 per cent. This figure is higher than in the Netherlands (5.6 per cent), Sweden (7.3 per cent), and the Czech Republic (7.6 per cent), but noticeably lower than the European Union average of 12.9 per cent. The situation is worst in Romania, where nearly one in four young people remain without work and education – 22.8 per cent. This is followed by Bulgaria (17.3 per cent) and France (16.2 per cent). Data for Luxembourg in 2025 have not yet been published; the most recent available figure for 2024 was 10.8 per cent.
What Risks Does This Indicator’s Growth Pose
A high share of unemployed and uneducated young people, neither studying nor seeking work, creates several risks for German society.
Among them:
- rising unemployment;
- declining social participation;
- increased crime;
- radicalisation of these individuals;
- intensification of political frustration.
Unlike most European Union countries, where the NEET indicator has declined in recent years, in Germany it continues to rise. As recently as 2022, it stood at 8.8 per cent – thus, over three years, the share of young people without work and education has increased by more than one percentage point.
The Difference Between Cities and Rural Areas
The study found that young women make up 10.5 per cent of this cohort, compared to 9.6 per cent among men. This group includes, in particular, young single mothers.
And here too Germany departs from overall European statistics. In most EU countries, the share of young people not engaged in work or education is higher precisely in rural areas. In Germany, the situation is reversed: in rural areas, the figure for such people is noticeably lower, at 7.9 per cent, whereas in major cities it reaches as high as 10.6 per cent.
Why This Is Happening
The reasons why young people are not receiving education and are not working can be found in the National Education Report for 2024. According to data published in this report, around a quarter of young people from this problematic social group are actively seeking work and are officially classified as unemployed. A further 6 per cent will soon begin studies or vocational training, and 4 per cent are preparing to start new employment.
However, the main part – nearly two-thirds of these young people – stated that the labour market is currently inaccessible to them. Among the principal reasons cited, young people most often mention care for relatives (cited by 20 per cent of respondents) and health problems (18 per cent). A further 17 per cent did not seek work for reasons connected with education – for instance, awaiting a place at a university or vocational training programme.
Thus, the growth of the NEET indicator in Germany stems not so much from young people who have voluntarily renounced education and careers, but rather from those who, due to objective circumstances – care for relatives, health problems, or awaiting a place in education – have temporarily fallen out of the education and employment system.
It is regrettable that German sociologists neglect to assess the margin of error in such surveys, and the inclination of young people to lie in questionnaires. Especially when it concerns education and work. They should walk through certain Arab neighbourhoods, or near Munich’s central railway station and simply observe the reasons why every fourth young person is neither studying nor going to work. Because this looks like a disease of the Bavarian government – life within its own informational bubble, oblivious to realities on the city streets. – Ed.
Nonetheless, the very fact that the country is moving in the opposite direction from the pan-European trend – a decline in the NEET indicator – makes this subject a matter of growing attention from labour market researchers.
Source: DPA
