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Youth Unemployment: Individual Risk Factors and Institutional Determinants. A Case Study of Germany and the United Kingdom

2003; Taylor & Francis; Volume: 6; Issue: 4 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1080/1367626032000162096

1469-9680

Bettina Isengard,

Employment and Welfare Studies

Abstract This paper deals with youth unemployment trends in Europe since the mid-1980s in general, and regards individual risk factors in the mid-1990s for Germany and the United Kingdom in particular. The study of the two selected countries shows that the individual risk of (long-term) unemployment is not equally high for all young people, but rather depends on various socioeconomic and structural factors like gender, education, nationality and region of residence. The individual level of education is an important determinant of occupational success, while the country-specific organization of educational systems and labour market institutions also affects different occupational outcomes. In addition, the welfare state structures and policies may determine labour market outcomes. Germany and the United Kingdom responded to the increasing problems of youth unemployment with the active labour market programs 'JUMP' and 'New Deal for Young People'; the concepts and results of these are discussed.