Eurostat: One in four Greeks aged 20-24 neither in employment nor in education or training

One in four Greeks aged 20-24 is neither in employment nor in education or training (NEET), according to data published by Eurostat on International Youth Day on August 12.

With 26.1 percent of this age group classified as NEET, Greece is behind only Italy (31.1 percent) and followed by Croatia (24.2 percent), Romania (24.1 percent), Bulgaria (24.0 percent), Spain and Cyprus (both 22.2 percent). In contrast, Eurostat reported, the lowest NEET rates in this age group were recorded in the Netherlands (7.2 percent), Luxembourg (8.8 percent), Denmark, Germany and Sweden (all 9.3 percent).

Across the European Union in 2015, almost 5 million people aged 20-24 (or 17.3 percent) were neither in employment nor in education or training, Eurostat said. It reported that Italy, Greece and Spain had shown the greatest increase in NEET in the decade between 2006 and 2015, with increases of 9.5, 9.3 and 9.0 percent, respectively.

Greece’s Manpower Organization (OAED) is expected to start two new programs in the next few days with the aim of providing 13,000 unemployed young people with the opportunity to gain experience with private sector employers for four months. This will apply to 10,000 aged 18-24, who will be subisidized with 18 euros daily, and 3,000 aged 25-29, with 21 euros daily.