Unemployment is rising throughout much of Europe, a consequence of the current economic and fi nancial woes that are stifl ing job creation across the continent. As is usually the case, young people have been hit hardest, with joblessness among the under 25s running at 2.5 times the rate for the population as a whole.
Spain’s youth unemployment problem
Across the board, unemployment levels in Spain have significantly increased since the collapse of the property bubble in 2007. Over the years, the country’s youth unemployment figures have consistently been higher than the EU average but the disparity between the two has widened further since the current crisis began. Spain also has a larger gap between youth and general levels of unemployment than the rest of the EU.
Explaining the generation gap
Why is the unemployment gap between young and old so high in Spain? One reason is the Spanish education system. Compared to other European countries, Spain produces relatively more people with the lowest and highest levels of educational attainment – resulting in both un- and under-employment. On top of this, strong employee protection laws make companies nervous about taking on young people.
