In 2017, over 80% of recent graduates in the EU were employed. This is the fourth consecutive year that the rate of employment for recent graduates has risen, reversing the decrease seen between 2008 and 2013.
Recent graduates refer to people aged 20-34, who are not in education and training, and who completed their education at most three years ago. The education level considered is at least upper-secondary education, so also includes tertiary education.
Malta (95%), Germany (91%), the Netherlands and the Czech Republic (both 90%) recorded the highest employment rates for recent graduates.
At the other end of the scale, the lowest employment rates for recent graduates were in Greece (52%) and Italy (55%).
The source dataset is available here
You can check the development of employment rate of recent graduates between 2006 and 2017 in the EU and in your country in this interactive line chart:
When recent graduates are looking for work, the educational attainment level plays a key role. The employment rates for recent EU graduates with tertiary education was 85% in 2017, while the corresponding rate for vocational graduates (at upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary level) was 77%. The employment rate for generalist graduates (at the same non-tertiary level) was considerably lower, at 64%.
This news item marks the World Youth Skills Day, celebrated on 15 July.
Further information in the Statistics Explained article on Eurostat website.
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