New Publication: Young people between education and the labour market during the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy

Davide Fiaschi and Cristina Tealdi have published their article “Young people between education and the labour market during the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy” in International Journal of Manpower.

Abstract

The aim is to study the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the careers of different groups of young individuals, based on transition probabilities. The authors analyse the evolution of individual shares and flows between different types of employment (self-employment, temporary, and permanent), unemployment, education, and other types of inactivity of individuals aged 20–29 in Italy. The authors find that the pandemic worsened an already concerning situation of higher inactivity rates, compared to other EU countries. In quarters III and IV of 2020, mainly females and non-Italian citizens were less in (permanent and temporary) employment and more in the NLFET (neither in the labour force nor in education or training) state compared to the same quarters one year before. The authors also find evidence of a temporary but not persistent return to education among 20–24 years old individuals, particularly females. These changes are suggestive of a prolongation of the time needed to achieve temporary and permanent employment, mostly for females and non-Italian citizens. The contribution lies in the provision of a rigorous estimation and analysis of the impact of COVID-19 on the careers of young individuals in Italy.