91 out of 100 NEETs are satisfied with their current situation
Only 126 (9%) of the 1,400 youth NEETs (people Not in Education, Employment, or Training) Junior Achievement Romania contacted since the beginning of this year seem interested to change their current situation. The share of those who want to cooperate and fully engage in this process is even smaller: only 5 out of 100 NEETs are willing to make a change. The young people from Ialomita, Giurgiu, Galati and Vrancea we talked to believe the effort required to change their current status is too great for any lasting benefits and think they would do just fine even without getting trained for a job or getting employed. Although they are perfectly able to complete their studies and work, they refuse todo so.
Custom profile for each NEET
Inaction, indulgence in their current situation and a propensity for a life where seasons are the only variable are all factors that act as a barrier preventing NEETs from being more motivated. Applying a series of techniques derived from the FROG method, the Junior Achievement experts interact directly with these young people, driving them to desire fulfilment in their life by getting trained and employed and also by pursuing their dreams in their own start-up. Given their geographical dispersion, we usually make extensive phone support sessions with each one of them and we also organize online seminars (webinars) that help us identify NEETs’ interests, their strengths and ultimately train them. Following their consent, we built custom profiles for each NEET individual. Unlike a CV, this custom profile is tailored to give information not only about their knowledge, skills and abilities, but also about their work and study habits.
Why do NEETs refuse to change their current situation?
There are NEETs who do not have the means to access the Internet, to open an email account or to search for a job. Others do not have the minimum resources required to prepare and go to an interview, let alone plan and put their entrepreneurship ideas into practice. The NEETs in Entrepreneurshipproject aims to lift these seemingly insurmountable barriers faced by the young people who really want to change their lives. Those without computers and access to internet access have been guided to access the online resources through the facilities provided by local libraries and town halls. Moreover, NEETs that have the desire of starting their own company are offered special trainings and they will also receive funding after preparing a good business plan.
Taking all into account, inaction remains the main obstacle these young people must overcome. Most NEETs, particularly those who do not consider entrepreneurship as an option, need to make the big step and get employed. In order for this to happen, our project implementation team actively seeks and proposes jobs matching the NEETs’ custom profiles. We even help young people unable to look for a job by going even further: we ask their consent and apply to jobs in their own name.
The lowest level of job vacancies
According to data published in February by the National Institute of Statistics, in 2019 there was a decrease in the average annual rate of job vacancies, the greatest in the last five years. In the last quarter of 2019, there were only 47,090 job vacancies, compared to 63,694 in the third quarter of 2018,a level close to that recorded in the first quarter of 2015: 47,448 job vacancies. During 2019 the number of unemployed people who have never had a job reached a new minimum down to 177,089 people, compared to 200,000-290,000 people in the last 10 years. Furthermore, the unemployment rate was 3% in eight months of 2019, the lowest value since 1992 to date. Fewer job vacancies, less unemployed and a lower unemployment rate pose new challenges for those who currently do not work, do not go to school but want to find a job.
