Istat Says 1 in 4 Young Italians Quit Studies for Work as 57.8% Feel Overeducated
Updated
Updated · en.ilsole24ore.com · May 27
Istat Says 1 in 4 Young Italians Quit Studies for Work as 57.8% Feel Overeducated
1 articles · Updated · en.ilsole24ore.com · May 27
Summary
One in four young Italians stop studying after secondary school to look for work, with Istat tying that early exit to a growing sense that their education exceeds job requirements.
57.8% of young workers say they are overeducated for the jobs they do, including 33.0% of upper-secondary graduates and 24.8% of university graduates—both above EU averages of 22.8% and 22.1%.
Precarious work shows the sharpest mismatch: overeducation affects 49.9% of graduates and 43.1% of degree holders on collaboration or occasional contracts, and 40.7% and 29.5% of temporary employees.
Istat says the pattern points to both slow alignment between education and sector needs and a labor market that still cannot absorb available skills, with women and youths from less-educated families especially exposed.