By: Cassandra Wubbels
In Italy, the NEET phenomenon remains one of the main challenges for youth, education and employment policies. This indicator is particularly important because it does not only measure the absence of work or study. It also helps to understand how difficult the transition from education to employment can be for part of the youth population.
Recent data show that Italy has made progress, although important challenges remain. In 2024, the NEET rate among young people aged 15–29 stood at 15.2%, compared with 16.1% in 2023 (ISTAT, 2025). This decrease confirms a positive trend and suggests that more young people are entering employment, education or training pathways. However, the Italian figure remains above the European Union average, which was 11.0% in 2024, and is still far from the European objective of reducing the share of young NEETs to 9% by 2030, as outlined in the European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan (European Commission, 2021; Eurostat, 2025).
Although the situation is improving, the data show that many young people in Italy continue to experience difficulties accessing stable and meaningful opportunities after school, vocational training, or university. The issue is therefore not only linked to unemployment, but also to the ability of education, training, and labour-market systems to support young people during important transition periods.
One of the most significant aspects of the Italian case is the territorial dimension of the phenomenon. National data provide an important overview, but they do not fully capture the deep differences that exist within the country. In several Southern regions, the NEET rate remains particularly high and often exceeds 20%. This means that in some areas the distance from education, training and employment affects a much larger proportion of young people than the national average suggests. The phenomenon is especially pronounced in regions such as Calabria, Sicily, Campania and Puglia, where educational opportunities, employment prospects and territorial services are often more fragile (ISTAT, 2025).
For this reason, the NEET phenomenon in Italy should also be understood as a territorial issue. It reflects not only individual difficulties, but also the unequal distribution of opportunities across the country.
In areas where the labour market is weaker and access to training or guidance services are less accessible, the transition from education to work may become longer and more uncertain. Reducing the NEET rate therefore requires interventions that can respond to different local contexts, rather than only national-level measures.
In recent years, several initiatives have been strengthened to address these challenges. At European level, the Youth Guarantee promotes the principle that young people under 30 should receive a good-quality offer of employment, continued education, apprenticeship or traineeship within a short period after becoming unemployed or leaving formal education (European Commission, n.d.). In Italy, this approach is also connected to the GOL Programme (Garanzia di Occupabilità dei Lavoratori), included in the National Recovery and Resilience Plan. The programme aims to improve employability through personalised guidance, training opportunities, reskilling activities, and support for access to employment (Ministero del Lavoro e delle Politiche Sociali, n.d.).
Overall, the NEET phenomenon in Italy presents a picture of gradual improvement, but also of persistent structural fragility. While the reduction recorded in recent years is encouraging, the national rate remains above the European average and still distant from the 2030 target. The Italian challenge is therefore not only to reduce the overall number of young people outside employment, education and training, but also to strengthen the conditions that make youth transitions more continuous, inclusive and accessible across different territories.
References
European Commission. (2021). The European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan. Publications Office of the European Union. https://doi.org/10.2767/111056
European Commission. (n.d.). The reinforced Youth Guarantee. Retrieved May 12, 2026, from https://employment-social-affairs.ec.europa.eu/policies-and-activities/eu-employment-policies/youth-employment-support/reinforced-youth-guarantee_en
Eurostat. (2025). Statistics on young people neither in employment nor in education or training. Statistics Explained. Retrieved May 12, 2026, from https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php?title=Statistics_on_young_people_neither_in_employment_nor_in_education_or_training
Istituto Nazionale di Statistica. (2025). Istruzione e lavoro: Istruzione. Noi Italia. Retrieved May 12, 2026, from https://noi-italia.istat.it/pagina.php?L=0&action=show&categoria=5&id=3
Istituto Nazionale di Statistica. (2025). Indagine conoscitiva su povertà educativa, abbandono e dispersione scolastica. https://www.istat.it/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Istat-Audizione-poverta-educativa-7-ottobre-2025.pdf
Ministero del Lavoro e delle Politiche Sociali. (n.d.). Programma GOL. Retrieved May 12, 2026, from https://www.lavoro.gov.it/temi-e-priorita/occupazione/focus/pagine/programma-gol
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