NEETs, an acronym for Not in education, employment or training, are young people between 15 and 29 years old who do not work because they are unemployed or inactive, nor do they participate in professional education or training courses. The data on NEETs come from the sample survey of the workforce conducted annually by Istat.
The interpretation of these data requires particular caution both due to the greater statistical imprecision of the provincial results of the sample survey and due to the transitory nature that sometimes characterizes the NEET condition, which often constitutes a physiological aspect of the transition period between school and work or between one job and another.
On average for the year 2023, according to the latest Istat provincial microdata provided by Unioncamere Lombardia, the NEETs from Bergamo in the 15-29 age group are a total of 19,584 with an incidence on the total population of the same age group of 11.3%. . The total NEET rate in Bergamo is slightly higher than the regional one (10.6%) and significantly lower than the national average (16.1%), which is influenced by the high rate in the South (27.9%).
Observing the trend of the total rate of NEETs from Bergamo in the period between 2021 and 2023 1, a decreasing trend can be seen. The largest decline is recorded between 2021 and 2022 with a decrease of 3.5 percentage points. The same trend is also found in Lombardy and Italy. The regional data, which until 2022 was higher than the provincial one, instead dropped in 2023, reporting a lower value than the provincial one.
Graph 1 – Total NEET rate, 15-29 years, Bergamo, Lombardy and Italy, 2021-2023. Elaborations on Istat data.
THE MALE AND FEMALE COMPONENT
The male NEET rate stands at 8.5%, lower than that of Lombardy (8.9%) and very far from the national value (14.4%). In the last three years the rate has had a declining trend. Specifically, male NEETs suffered the greatest decline between 2021 and 2022, reporting a change in the number of NEETs of -19.9%. The decrease then continued in 2023, with a less negative change, equal to -10.3% compared to the previous year.
Graph 2 – Male Neet rate, 15-29 years, Bergamo, Lombardy and Italy, 2021-2023. Elaborations on Istat data.
The female NEET rate stands at 14.3%. The incidence of female NEETs is almost two percentage points higher than that of Lombardy (12.5%) but is significantly lower than that of Italy (17.8%). Over the three-year period, the female NEET rate observed a decreasing trend. Looking at the absolute values, the largest drop occurred between 2021 and 2022 with -21.0% fewer female NEETs. The following year, however, the percentage change was less negative (-11.3%).
Chart 3 – Female NEET rate, 15-29 years, Bergamo, Lombardy and Italy, 2021-2023. Elaborations on Istat data.
Compared to the percentage incidence of NEETs by gender, in 2023 women represent 61% of the NEET population between 15 and 29 years old while men represent 39%.
Graph 4 – Percentage incidence of NEETs (15-29 years) divided by gender, Bergamo, 2021-2023. Processed on Istat data
THE COMPARISON BETWEEN THE REGIONS
Compared to the other Italian regions, Lombardy with a total NEET rate of 10.6% is in fifth position on equal merit with the Marche, after the autonomous provinces of Bolzano (8%) and Trento (9.7%), Valle d’Aosta (9.9%), Umbria and Veneto, tied with 10.5%. Compared to the more industrialized regions of the North-West and North-East, namely Piedmont, Emilia-Romagna and Veneto, Lombardy has the second lowest value after Veneto (10.5%). Following are Emilia-Romagna (11.0%) and Piedmont (11.7%).
In the time span between 2018 and 2023 2 it can be observed that in all four regions analyzed the total NEET rate had a decreasing trend, reaching the minimum value in the last year, after the peak reached in the years of the pandemic.
Graph 5 – Total NEET rate, 15-29 years, Lombardy, Piedmont, Veneto, Emilia-Romagna and Italy, 2018-2023. Elaborations on Istat data.
Compared to the male NEET rate, Lombardy is in third position for the lowest value after Veneto (7.8%) and Emilia-Romagna (8.1%). The female NEET rate in Lombardy is the lowest. Followed by Veneto (13.4%), Piedmont (13.5%) and Emilia-Romagna (14.1%).
THE EUROPEAN CONTEXT
Comparing national data with those of the European Union, a clear gap emerges. In 2023, in fact, the average European NEET 3 rate is equal to 11.2% compared to the Italian 16.1%, which is the second highest value in the EU after Romania. With reference to the 20 countries included in the Euro Area, however, the total NEET rate is 11.3%, substantially equal to the EU average. Bergamo (11.3%) and Lombardy (10.6%) record values lower than the national average and in line with the European average.
Graph 6 – Total EU NEET rate (27 countries), 15-29 years, 2023. Based on Eurostat data.
The male NEET rate in the EU average for 2023 is 10.1%. Italy (14.4%) has the second highest incidence rate of male NEETs in the EU after Greece (14.6%). Bergamo and Lombardy, on the other hand, report lower values than the European average.
Graph 7 – EU male NEET rate (27 countries), 15-29 years, 2023. Based on Eurostat data.
In the same year, the EU recorded a female NEET rate of 12.5%. Italy (17.8%) is the second EU country with the highest female NEET rate after Romania, which however has a
much higher value (24.8%). The female NEET rate in the province of Bergamo (14.3%) is lower than the national average but higher than the European average. The regional data is instead aligned with
the European one.
Graph 8 – EU female NEET rate (27 countries), 15-29 years, 2023. Based on Eurostat data.
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