Improving the performance of youth on the labour market is a crucial challenge in OECD

countries facing persistent youth unemployment. As labour markets become more and

more selective, a lack of relevant skills brings a higher risk of unemployment. Whatever

the level of qualification, first experiences on the labour market have a profound influence

on later working life. Getting off to a good start facilitates integration and lays the

foundation for a good career, while a failure can be difficult to make up.

Ensuring a good start will require co-ordinated policies to bring the education system

closer to the labour market, to help disadvantaged young people to find a job or

participate in a training course and to facilitate the hiring of young people by firms.

OECD has launched a series of reports on the school-to-work transition process in

sixteen countries including the Netherlands. Each report contains a survey of the

main barriers to employment for young people, an assessment of the adequacy and

effectiveness of existing measures to improve the transition from school-to-work, and

a set of policy recommendations for further action by the public authorities and social

partners.

This report is based on the proceedings of a seminar and is published in English only.

However, a French translation of the summary and main recommendations has been

included in this volume.