Predictors of job finding among young unemployed

Introduction  Unemployment has detrimental effects, especially for young people. Due to the economic recession that started at the end of 2008 youth unemployment has raised from 9.3 to 11.4 percent in one year in The Netherlands. This recent sharp increase in youth unemployment is therefore of serious concern. However, there are marked regional differences in youth unemployment and in regional policies in combating this unemployment. Considering these regional differences predictors of job finding may differ from one region to another. The present study aims at gaining new insights in these differences.  

Method  In 2009 TNO and partners launched a new diagnostic tool aimed at long term unemployed and people at the lower side of the labor market. This self assessment tool assesses a number of characteristics relevant to job finding and guidance to job finding. These characteristics range from health and social problems to educational level to basic employee skills and job search behavior. The launch of this assessment tool has been successful thus far. Approximately 25.000 unemployed and people at the lower side of the labor market have been assessed in 2010. Among these are 762 young unemployed, 483 males and 279 females. Young is defined here as 27 years of age or younger. In 2011 the work status of these young unemployed will be reassessed.  

Analyses  Logistic regression analyses still have to be conducted with work status as dependent variable. The independent variables entered first will be gender, ethnicity, health, education, learning capacity, job search behavior and job search self-efficacy. Secondly, regional differences will be entered in the analyses. It is expected that in regions with low unemployment rates that predictors such as job search behavior and job search self-efficacy are more important than ethnicity, health and education compared with regions with high unemployment rates.