Building inclusive futures for NEETs - VET solutions for Europe’s young people not in employment, education or training

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Jake

Building inclusive futures for NEETs examines how vocational education and training (VET) can address persistent barriers faced by young people not in employment, education or training. It frames NEET outcomes within Europe’s green, digital and demographic transitions, linking skills development to employability, social inclusion and competitiveness. The report reviews progress in youth labour markets while highlighting continuing disparities across Member States, genders and regions. It presents evidence-based guidance and tools, including Cedefop’s continuously updated VET toolkit for empowering NEETs.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages102

Reading Time4 h 17 min

AccessFree to download

Foreword

Acknowledgements

Executive summary

EN 1831-5860 Research paper Building inclusive futures for NEETs VET solutions for Europe’s young people not in employment, education or training Building inclusive futures for NEETs VET solutions for Europe’s young people not in employment, education or training Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2026 Please cite this publication as: Cedefop. (2026) . Building inclusive futures for NEETs: VET solutions for Europe’s young people not in employment, education or training. Cedefop research paper. Publications Office of the European Union. [http://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2801/7473761](http://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2801/7473761) A great deal of additional information on the European Union is available on the internet. It can be accessed through the Europa server ([http://europa.eu](http://europa.eu)) . Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2026 © Cedefop, 2026 Unless otherwise noted, the reuse of this document is authorised under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence. This means that reuse is allowed, provided appropriate credit is given and any changes made are indicated. For any use or reproduction of photos or other material that is not owned by Cedefop, permission must be sought directly from the copyright holders. PDF ISBN 978-92-896-3930-9 ISSN 1831-5860 Doi: 10.2801/7473761 TI-01-26-009-EN-N The European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop) is the European Union’s reference centre for vocational education and training, skills and qualifications. We provide information, research, analyses and evidence on vocational education and training, skills and qualifications for policymaking in the EU Member States. Cedefop was originally established in 1975 by Council Regulation (EEC) No 337/75 . This decision was repealed in 2019 by Regulation (EU) 2019/128 establishing Cedefop as a European Union Agency with a renewed mandate. Europe 123, Thessaloniki (Pylaia), Greece Postal: Cedefop service post, 570 01 Thermi, Greece Tel. +30 2310490111, Fax +30 2310490020 Email: info@cedefop.europa.eu [www.cedefop.europa.eu](www.cedefop.europa.eu) Jürgen Siebel, Executive Director Tony Donohoe, Chair of the Management Board Foreword Young people not in employment, education or training (NEETs) face persistent barriers to acquiring skills, building confidence and finding direction in their professional – and often personal – lives. In the context of Europe’s green, digital and demographic transitions, this loss of potential undermines both social cohesion and competitiveness. Vocational education and training (VET) is a critical lever in this regard: it creates pathways into meaningful work, aligns skills with evolving labour market needs and promotes social inclusion, as research by the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop) has consistently shown. Progress has been made. Youth labour market outcomes have improved in many European Union Member States, and the EU NEET rate fell to about 1 1% in 2024, down from 16. 1% in 2013. However, achieving the European Pillar of Social Rights target of reducing the NEET rate to 9% by 2030 – and sustaining progress thereafter – will require persistent disparities between Member States, gendersand regions to be addressed. Cedefop has steadily built up the evidence base on how VET supports the social and professional reintegration of vulnerable youth. Its research on early leaving from education and training, NEETs and inclusive VET systems, alongside the practical tools and guidance it offers, helps policymakers and practitioners design and deliver effective measures that reconnect young people to learning and work. This report contributes new insights into VET’s strategic role in empowering young people. Cedefop’s VET toolkit for empowering NEETs – a unique, continuously updated knowledge hub – has become a reference point for p

FAQs

What barriers do NEETs face, according to the foreword?

NEETs face persistent barriers to acquiring skills, building confidence and finding direction in their professional and often personal lives.

Why is VET presented as a critical lever?

VET creates pathways into meaningful work, aligns skills with evolving labour market needs, and promotes social inclusion.

What is the report’s main evidence-based contribution?

It highlights that meaningful change requires coherent, long-term approaches and points to Cedefop’s VET toolkit for empowering NEETs as an actionable instrument for policymakers and practitioners.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Jake