Youth Guarantee in practice: linking Sandrina's studies to the job she wants 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. Here's the story of Sandrina, from Portugal. © OlegDoroshin / Shutterstock.com The Youth Guarantee scheme enabled Sandrina to link her Sanitary Engineering studies to the world of work - she now has the job she wanted. Soon after registering with the Youth Guarantee, a company specialising in her study area contacted her with a one-year traineeship offer. Sandrina feels that this hands-on experience was really valuable because it complemented her academic endeavours and theoretical knowledge. She made such an impression that the company she was training with took her on as an employee. “The Youth Guarantee scheme opened the door to the labour market for me," she explains, "which is what I appreciate most of all. My experience is proof that – as long as you are optimistic and dynamic – the scheme can give you a better chance of getting the job you want.” It was at the end of her Master's degree that Sandrina heard about the Youth Guarantee scheme when she was looking for training that would give her an opportunity to learn new skills to compete in the jobs market. Key facts In Portugal, the unemployment rate for people under 25 stood at 31.7 % in June 2015. The Youth Guarantee seeks to ensure that people under 30 should be provided with a traineeship, work experience or employment within four months of registering with the scheme. In Portugal, a young person can register through the Portuguese Youth Guarantee website. In some circumstances, an individual can also be identified by the Youth Guarantee team, which, with the proper consent, will record their details on the website. Those in need of assistance are contacted via email or by phone to start the Youth Guarantee guidance process. 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 Inititiative. 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.