Jobs, Istat: employment below the EU average even among graduates

• Jobs, Istat: in the third quarter 505 thousand more employed

• Istat: in 2020 labor productivity in Italy + 1.3%, at the top in Europe

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December 23, 2021 Despite the employment premium due to education, in Italy the employment rate remains below the European average even among university graduates (80.8% between the ages of 25 and 64 against 85.5% in the EU27) as well as among graduates. graduates (70.5% against 75.7%). The gap with Europe in employment rates widens among the younger generations - for all levels of education - and becomes maximum for those who have just finished training and are in the initial phase of entry into the labor market. The gender gap remains important among graduates, although it decreases as the qualification increases. This was revealed by the Istat report on 'Occupational returns to education in the year 2020' according to which the advantage of the degree over the diploma continues to grow.

In 2020, Istat notes, the employment rate of the population between the ages of 25 and 64 recorded a reduction of 0.8 points, reaching 65.6%. The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic was more marked for those with a low level of education: the employment rate fell by 1.1 points for the population with at most a lower secondary qualification, by 0.9 points among those achieved the diploma and 0.6 points among the graduates. The advantage of a graduate over those who have reached the maximum of the middle school is 29 percentage points.

From 2008 to today, the employment advantage of the degree over the diploma has increased, while that of graduates compared to those with lower educational qualifications has decreased; this was contributed to by the dynamics of high school graduates who, compared to the others, recorded a greater loss of jobs during the crisis that began in 2008 and a subsequent much weaker recovery.

Gender gaps decrease as educational qualifications increase. A higher level of education, Istat still notes, contributes to reducing the gender employment gap, although it remains more marked than the European average and that of other large European countries: the differential between employment rates is equal to 32. , 1 point among those with lower secondary qualifications, drops to 20.2 points for high school graduates and is reduced to 9.1 points among graduates. The employment advantage deriving from a higher level of education is more pronounced for the female population.

In 2020, women with an upper secondary qualification have an employment rate 25.5 points higher than that of their peers with a low level of education (advantage almost double that of men) and the difference between the graduation and high school graduation rates is 16.6 points (advantage more than three times that of men). The decline was similar among men with medium and low levels of education and among women with medium and high levels of education. Compared to 2019, the employment advantage is therefore generally stable. Men with degrees are an exception, as their employment advantage grows by one percentage point compared to those with a medium-low level of education.

Italy, explains Istat, continues to record the highest share of Neet in the EU27, much higher than that observed in Spain (17.3%), France (14.0%) and Germany (8.6%) ). The growth in the share of Neet (young people who do not study, do not work and are not engaged in training courses) was highest among young people with an upper secondary qualification, slightly lower among those with a tertiary qualification, practically none among young people with low educational level. Neet are on the rise especially among non-Italian citizens. With the pandemic less Neet actively looking for work. Over six Neet, out of 10 surveyed by Istat, are without work experience.

Impact of the strongest pandemic among foreigners.

The 2020 pandemic had a very strong impact on foreign employment.

The employment rate fell for all educational qualifications (-3.9 points for low, -3.2 for medium and -4.7 for high level of education) more than in the rest of Europe, especially among the graduates.

In Italy, only the employment rate of foreigners with a low level of education is higher than the European average;

that of foreigners with a high degree is in fact significantly lower and in 2020 the gap with Europe has further increased.

Employment returns from education: in 2020 the employment rate of 25-64 year old graduates is 80.8% (85.5% EU27), 70.5% of graduates (75.7% EU27) #istat https: // t .co / 9TnlwKwpKy pic.twitter.com/HbRGLNkFg0

- Istat (@istat_it) December 23, 2021