Participation of Young People in Education and the Labour Market, 2008 and 2009 (provisional)

Statistics on participation levels include new data for year end 2008 and 2009; 2009 data are provisional estimates which have been introduced this year on an experimental basis to provide a timelier picture of participation (data have previously been published 19 months after the reference period). The latest release updates the statistics previously released on 30 July 2009.

Compared with 2007, there was an increase in the proportion of 16 to 18 year olds in education or training and a decrease of those in employment while the proportion of those not engaged in education or training nor in employment (NEET) remained at 12 per cent . There was a similar proportion of 19 to 24 year olds in education or training as at year end 2007 but the proportion in employment fell in 2008 and again in 2009 . The proportion of 19 to 24 year olds not engaged in education or training nor in employment (NEET) at year end 2008 was similar to 2007 but increased in 2009.

For 16 to 18 year olds:

• 79 per cent were engaged in some kind of education or training in 2009 (76 per cent in 2008, 74 per cent in 2007);
• 33 per cent were in full or part-time employment in 2009 (40 per cent in 2008, 44 per cent in 2007); and
• 12 per cent were NEET in 2009 (12 per cent in 2008 and 2007).

For 19 to 24 year olds:

• 38 per cent were engaged in some kind of education or training in 2009 (36 per cent in 2008, 37 per cent in 2007);
• 61 per cent were in full or part-time employment in 2009 (65 per cent in 2008, 66 per cent in 2007); and
• 22 per cent were NEET in 2009 (18 per cent in 2008 and 2007).

The information is drawn from a number of sources; data tables on participation in education from 1996 to 2009 are available by single year of age up to the age of 30 through the Assembly’s interactive service StatsWales.

Revision note

A number of revisions have been made to the totals in the bullet points for 19 to 24 year olds (pages 2 and 3), these do not affect the participation rates.
There are also revisions to one figure in table 1a and two figures in table 2, to the order of 0.1 percentage point change. Data were revised on 20 April 2011.

Further information

StatsWales website.

Contact

Tel: 029 2082 3507
E-mail: post16ed.stats@wales.gsi.gov.uk

Next update

July 2011 (provisional - to be confirmed on 'Due out Soon' page)