Entry of young Poles into the labour market in 2009

The report, ‘Entry of young people into the labour market in Poland in 2009’, published by the Central Statistical Office (GUS) in December 2010 found that those aged 15–34 made up just over a third of the Polish labour force in 2009 and had an employment rate of 54.2%. A majority of young people in Poland acquire their first work experience after completing school education. It was found that approximately half the youth population’s first job matched their qualifications.

The report on the entry of Polish young people into the labour market in 2009 (in Polish and English, 1.44Mb PDF) published by the Central Statistical Office (GUS) in December 2010 used data from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) and the LFS module survey ‘Entry of young people into the labour market in 2009’.

The main Labour Force Survey (LFS) and the LFS module survey were carried out by applying a sample survey method that allows generalisation of the results over the whole population. The module survey involved the use of an additional questionnaire addressed exclusively at people born in the years 1974–1994 and who had been members of households sampled for LFS.

Key findings

Characteristics of the 15–34 age group

Young people aged 15–34 made up slightly over one third of the total labour force in Poland in 2009. Their employment rate was 54.2%. The employment rate included all those aged 15 years or more who during the reference week:

• performed any work generating pay or income for at least an hour;

• had work but did not perform it due to sickness, maternity leave, holiday or other reasons, but where the break in employment did not exceed three months or, if it exceeded three months, they were paid employees who received at least 50% of the current remuneration during the period.

The unemployment rate among young people was 10.7%. Unemployed people aged 15–34 accounted for 54.1% of all unemployed in Poland in the second quarter of 2009.

The economic activity rate for this group was 60.7%.

Both the economic activity and employment rate were higher for men. For example, in the oldest age group (30–34), the economic activity rate was 95.1% for men and only 78.1% for women; the employment rates were 89.2% and 72.7% respectively (see figure). According to the report’s authors, this discrepancy is connected with the continuing widespread exclusion (temporary or permanent) of women from the labour market due to family responsibilities. This exclusion is more frequent than in the case of men.

Economic activity and employment rate, 2009

Source: GUS (2010)

The highest value of the unemployment rate was recorded in the 18–19 age group. The rate then fell gradually while moving to the older age groups (see table).

Unemployment rate by age group, 2009 (%)

Age group	Men	Women
18–19	29.0	23.4
20–24	17.8	19.9
25–29	8.6	10.0
30–34	6.2	6.9

Source: GUS (2010)

Education and job prospects

The information in the report makes it possible to assess:

• the impact of a young person’s level of education on their job;

• expectations regarding the first job;

• the status of young people in the labour market;

• the compatibility of the first job with education and the acquired occupation.

Most people gain their first vocational experience after completing school education. Nearly three quarters of young people aged 15–34 years – both those still at school and those who had completed their education – did not take up their first job while still in education.

Young men combined work with education slightly more often than women (29.9% men, 27.8% women). The work done by men was connected to the curriculum about half the time (48.2% connected, 48.8% s not connected), whereas young women took work unconnected with the curriculum much more often (55.5%).

For 43.0% of young people with vocational experience after completing their education, the first job after school matched the occupation acquired through vocational training. Some 6.9% performed a job incompatible with the acquired occupation but used their qualifications in their first jobs, while 39.2% had a job entirely different than their acquired occupation. Women (46.1%) took the first job linked to their occupation more often than men (40.3%).

The most frequent way of seeking the first job was looking for it directly at the employer (37.8%), and then through family and friends (28.8%). More women (9.3%) found their first job through the National Labour Office (PIP) than men (4.6%). More men, however, set up their own business (6.0% against 3.9%).

Commentary

A substantial majority of young people acquire their first vocational experience after completing school education. However, students of vocational or tertiary schools are more likely to combine job experience with education. Furthermore, tertiary and vocational education guarantees a better position on the labour market in terms of possibilities of finding a job and including working in a field that fits their qualifications.

Reference

GUS (Central Statistical Office) (2010), Wejście ludzi młodych na rynek pracy w Polsce w 2009 R. [Entry of young people into the labour market in Poland in 2009] (1.44Mb PDF), Warsaw.

Marta Trawinska, Institute of Public Affairs