With support from the Youth Guarantee scheme, many young people in Europe have managed to find a job or follow a course which gives their career a boost. This is Eduard's story, from Romania.

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While visiting the local employment office, a careers adviser explained Eduard what the Youth Guarantee was all about and the opportunities it could provide. He also had a paid apprenticeship offer on the books with a local marble assembly company. Eduard applied immediately – and got the post! He attended stonemason classes and then started to work for the company.

Before this job, Eduard had been sending his cv to various employers and asked friends for references – but with no success. He could not find work due to his lack of work experience and eduction. He had left high school without passing his Baccalaureate.

Eduard has now left his job – but only temporarily – so that he can concentrate on the Baccalaureate. After that, he will go back to work for the company thanks to his supportive boss. The whole experience has filled Eduard with new-found confidence – as well as learning new things he even managed to save money for a new apartment.

 “The Youth Guarantee was a real chance for me to reconsider my life and career choices. It helped me step outside my comfort zone and become more independent – I’m encouraging my friends to apply to the scheme.”

Key facts

• Eduard's struggle to find work is not unusual in Romania, where the unemployment rate for young people was 21.2% in September 2015.
• The Youth Guarantee aims to ensure that, within four months of registering as unemployed, a young person up to the age of 25 should receive a quality offer of a traineeship, apprenticeship, education or employment. One priority for the Youth Guarantee scheme is to find placements that combine training with a taste of working life.

Background

The EU countries endorsed the principle of the Youth Guarantee in April 2013. The EU financially supports the set-up and implementation of Youth Guarantee Schemes through the European Social Fund and the Youth Employment Initiative. It also provides opportunities to learn from each other, and monitors the implementation in the context of the European Semester. The results of these efforts contribute to providing youngsters a better career future.