"Diplomas don't drink water", unemployment among young people with higher education increases in 2025

2025-07-09 07:16:00, Sociale CNA

"Diplomas don't drink water", unemployment among young people

The difficulties in employing young people with higher education have increased significantly in 2025.

INSTAT data on youth unemployment show that in the first quarter of 2024, the overall unemployment rate among the 15-24 age group was 24.0%, while in the same period of 2025 it fell to 22.3%, but among young people with higher education, the unemployment rate increased.

In 2024, this group had the lowest unemployment rate, 18.6%, but in 2025 it increased to 22.9%, surpassing even those with primary and secondary education. This increase suggests a significant deterioration in employment opportunities for young university graduates, as a result of an oversupply of diplomas in some fields, mismatches with labor market needs, or a lack of effective professional integration programs.

For young people with 8/9 years of education, the unemployment rate has increased from 19.8% in 2024 to 22.1% in 2025.

INSTAT data shows that people with basic education have had fewer employment opportunities compared to a year ago. Such an increase is reflecting a shift in labor market demand towards more qualified employees or the weakening of sectors that typically employ less educated labor.

Meanwhile, for young people with secondary education, unemployment has decreased significantly from 28.5% to 22.1%. This is a positive change, which places this group at the same unemployment level as those with basic education.

The strong decrease in unemployment for this category indicates that individuals with secondary education have benefited from an improvement in the labor market, perhaps as a result of an increase in demand for employees with technical or vocational training.

Youth labor market data show an overall decrease in unemployment, but with different trends by education level. While those with secondary education have benefited more from the improvement in the labor market, those with higher education face new challenges that require special attention from public policy and the higher education system.

Unemployment among young graduates is a bad sign for the country, as experience has shown that many of them, instead of trying to build a life in their own country, choose to emigrate. The exodus of young people has intensified even more after the pandemic, and this is alarming at a time when their numbers are rapidly decreasing.

The younger age groups of our population are shrinking at record rates, faster than anywhere else in Europe. From 2011 to 2023, the 0-29 age group has reduced by 44 percent according to census data.

The average age in the European Union in January 2025 was 44.7 years old, while in Albania, according to INSAT data, the average age of the population was 44.3 years old, while in 2015 the average age in Albania was 27.2 years old./ Monitor.al