Across Europe, many young people continue to face challenges in transitioning in and from education to employment. Although significant progress has been made, the transition pathways remain complex and uneven – this is precisely what EDU-LAB aims to better understand and develop recommendations for improvement.

According to the latest data, around 14.5% of young Europeans (aged 15–24) are unemployed, while around 22% of female university graduates are working in jobs that do not match their qualifications. Educational attainment has increased: 42% of young adults (aged 25–34) have a tertiary qualification, but there are still significant differences between regions, fields of study and population groups. At the same time, just under 49% of upper secondary school pupils choose a vocational education pathway.

Despite these opportunities, many young people still leave education early. In 2023, 9.5% of 18- to 24-year-olds in the EU left education or training early. The proportion of young people who are not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET rate) is 11.7% in the 15- to 29-year-old age group.

These figures underscore the importance of EDU-LAB's mission: to better understand the factors that shape young people's educational choices, how transitions occur, and how policy measures can support smoother and more equitable pathways from education to employment.