Being a NEET: Which way to go - case study on Romanian VET graduates

Romania is one of the EU countries characterized by highest rates of NEET (neither in employment nor in education and training) youth aged 15-24, reaching out the level of 18.1% in 2015, significantly above the UE-28 average of 12.0%. What is even more worrying is that, starting with 2008, the NEETs rate has continued to increase, even if the economy started to recover. NEET youth are in fact a very heterogeneous group, covering both vulnerable, as well as non-vulnerable youth, unemployed and inactive youth, looking for a job or not. The aim of the paper is to analyse youth transitions between the state of NEET, employment or education/training, as well as the reasons for which these transitions fail or happen with difficulties. We use two wave panel data for a tracking study on transition from school to work covering VET graduates. Tracking data are collected in 2011-2012 at 6 months and 12 months after graduation and cover the entire graduates’ cohorts of 2 counties in Romania. Findings of the study could substantiate better tailored programs targeting NEETs and their re-insertion in education or labour market.