This month, we celebrate European youth by focusing on one of the most important milestones in a young person's life: the transition from education to employment.
Europe's young people are the foundation of our future workforce — and our future. Today, there are around 73 million people aged 15–29 across the EU (Eurostat 2026) . At the same time, Europe is experiencing a profound demographic shift. As millions of workers retire each year, employers across sectors are facing growing skills shortages, making the successful transition of young people into quality jobs more important than ever.
Education and training are central to meeting this challenge.
Around 49% of upper secondary students in the EU are enrolled in vocational education and training (VET), demonstrating the important role vocational pathways play in preparing young people for the labour market.
Around 3 million learners are currently participating in apprenticeships across the EU, combining classroom learning with hands-on workplace experience and helping bridge the gap between education and employment.
Yet, despite these opportunities, around 7.4 million young people—11.1% of those aged 15–29—are neither in employment, education nor training (NEET). This represents not only a significant loss of talent and potential but also a reminder that the transition from learning to work is not equally accessible for everyone.
These figures highlight both the scale of the opportunity and the urgency of the challenge. Investing in high-quality vocational education, apprenticeships, career guidance and inclusive pathways into work is essential—not only to equip young people with the skills they need, but also to help Europe address labour shortages, foster innovation, and strengthen its long-term competitiveness.
That is why, throughout this month, we are shining a spotlight on the transition from learning to working.
We'll explore how smoothly this journey happens across Europe through the European Skills Index (ESI), examine what enables learning mobility for IVET learners and apprentices through the revamped IVET Mobility Scoreboard, and highlight how evidence-based policies can help turn education into employment—and potential into opportunity.
Join us as we explore the data, the policies and the practices that are helping Europe's young people build successful pathways from the classroom to their careers, and thrive in work and life.