OECD Economics Department Working Papers
Working papers from the Economics Department of the OECD that cover the full range of the Department’s work including the economic situation, policy analysis and projections; fiscal policy, public expenditure and taxation; and structural issues including ageing, growth and productivity, migration, environment, human capital, housing, trade and investment, labour markets, regulatory reform, competition, health, and other issues.
The views expressed in these papers are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of the OECD or of the governments of its member countries.
- ISSN: 18151973 (online)
- https://doi.org/10.1787/18151973
Getting Irish Youth on the Job Track
Irish youth was hit hard by the crisis. Many young workers have remained unemployed for a long time and,
unless it is tackled promptly, this issue will become one of the most enduring legacies of the recession. New labourmarket
policy initiatives have been introduced recently, but more will be needed to limit scarring effects and keep
youth connected so that they can get back to work as soon as the recovery strengthens. For many young workers
learning new skills is the way to get ready. The Irish economy is shifting away from bricks and mortar towards
knowledge-based services, and those previously employed in construction-related activities need to acquire the skills
and competencies required in these expanding sectors. For those who have already drifted into more marginalised
environments, a longer process of rehabilitation will be necessary to escape poverty and social exclusion. This chapter
recommends focusing limited fiscal resources on policies empirically-proven to help regain employment; this will
require systematic and rigorous evaluation of labour-market programmes and policy decisions to close down
ineffective schemes while strengthening successful ones.
Keywords: education, not in Education, unemployment, labour markets, labour market programmes, vocational education, youth, apprenticeships, Ireland, youth entrepreneurship, disadvantaged youth, employment
JEL:
J24: Labor and Demographic Economics / Demand and Supply of Labor / Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity;
J21: Labor and Demographic Economics / Demand and Supply of Labor / Labor Force and Employment, Size, and Structure;
J88: Labor and Demographic Economics / Labor Standards: National and International / Labor Standards: Public Policy;
I28: Health, Education, and Welfare / Education and Research Institutions / Education: Government Policy;
J60: Labor and Demographic Economics / Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers / Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers: General
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