Eurostat’s latest figures show that in January 2017, 4.017 million young persons (under 25) were unemployed in the EU-28, of whom 2.826 million were in the Euro area. Compared with last year, the youth unemployment rate has slightly decreased, to 17.7% in the EU-28, compared with 19.3% in January 2016. Although these latest figures demonstrate progress, youth unemployment remains unacceptably high across the EU. With so many young people struggling to find a job, Europe must find sustainable solutions to tackle youth unemployment and assist young people in developing successful and prosperous professional lives.

In 2013 the European Commission introduced the Youth Employment Initiative, aiming to support NEETs (not in education, employment or training) in the EU regions most affected by youth unemployment and equipped with a budget of €6.4 billion for 2014 - 2020. The Commission has recently proposed supplementing this by €1 billion up until 2020. Additionally, EU Member States have continued to implement the Youth Guarantee, an ambitious plan to ensure that all individuals under 25 receive a good-quality offer within four months after leaving education or becoming unemployed. Existing efforts have been complimented with the introduction of the European Solidarity Corps in September 2016 and the European Pillar of Social Rights, which provides a framework for quality employment to be presented later this year.

However, many structural problems continue to hinder efforts to reduce youth unemployment at the European level. Unpaid and underpaid internships are common, with poor protections for young workers, whilst an enduring disconnect persists between available skills and the requirements of a rapidly changing labour market.  Vocational Education and Training (VET), innovation and entrepreneurial culture must also play a role, as well as strong cooperation between employers, educational institutions, and employment services. Such mechanisms provide a strong basis to harness the potential of young people across the continent and support the creation of conditions conducive to inclusive growth.

This international symposium offers a timely and invaluable opportunity to engage with the challenges underpinning unemployment trends in the EU and determine viable solutions to boost employment in Europe. Attendees will also analyse the ways in which employers, HR experts, educational institutions and employment services can support young people to fulfil their professional potential. Furthermore, all delegates will benefit from the chance to develop innovative strategies for promoting entrepreneurship and equipping young people with the relevant skills to flourish within the current labour market.

Delegates Will

• Engage with the latest policy developments to tackle youth unemployment at the European level, including the future of YEI and the Youth Guarantee
• Develop viable solutions to boost youth employment and create quality jobs with the support of employment services and employer’s organisations
• Compose  strategies to minimize skills mismatches in the current  labour market and develop vocational education opportunities
• Evaluate the potential of entrepreneurship in tackling unemployment amongst young people
• Participate in interactive and constructive discussions with key stakeholders in the field of youth employment
• Bridge gaps between employers and education providers and discuss how to keep up in a fast moving technological working environment
• Build effective cross-border partnerships for future collaboration
• Share best practice in initiatives to support young people in the search for secure professional lives