Vocational Training for Low-Skilled, Unemployed Young People in France
Unemployment can contribute to property crimes, violent crime and national dissatisfaction, particularly when youth unemployment is high. Governments will therefore seek ways to reduce unnecessary unemployment and promote youth employment, particularly for disadvantaged groups. However, if unemployed youth lack necessary job skills, placement programs or entrepreneurial workshops may not be enough to increase employment.
Youth unemployment is a pervasive issue in France. The rate of unemployment for young people ages 18-25 far surpasses the national average, especially among marginalized groups. Many young people who have low levels of educational attainment are the offspring of recent immigrants, who themselves may come from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. Lacking either the education necessary to get a job, or the means to pay for additional training, youth are faced with extremely limited options. While many government programs and non-governmental organizations seek to address this issue, the relative efficacy of different approaches to promoting employment, including entrepreneurship, subsidized training, or placement programs, is not known.
Researchers are currently conducting a randomized evaluation to measure the impact of one program, Ecole de la Deuxième Chance (E2C), literally translated as “Second Chance School.” E2C offers a rigorous, eight-month vocational training program for at-risk youth throughout France. The program itself includes both training courses and internship placement opportunities. It targets youth between the ages of 18 and 25 who have no educational diploma (high school or equivalent) and have been out of the school system for more than a year.
It is anticipated that approximately 4,000 young people in five different urban areas throughout France will participate in the experiment. Data will be collected from available administrative sources and through three separate questionnaires. The data to be obtained will address work status, attitude towards work, and relevant knowledge and skills.
Project ongoing; results forthcoming.
