SUBSCRIBE TO THE MODENATODAY WHATSAPP CHANNEL
According to a recent analysis by the Lapam Confartigianato research office, young people from Emilia-Romagna are benefiting from the favorable conditions of the labor market. However, the number of under 35s in the job market is decreasing, with a loss of 81,000 young people in the last 20 years and a similar forecast for the next 20 years.
Post-Covid recovery and employment rate
Since the pandemic, employment has seen a strong recovery, especially among women and young people. Modena, in particular, stands out as the tenth province nationally for the youth employment rate, with a notable 55.3%. This excellent employment performance is, however, accompanied by an increasing difficulty in finding qualified personnel.
Challenges in finding young talent
Modena companies find it difficult to fill 46.7% of positions for under 30s, with an estimated cost of the mismatch between job supply and demand of around 277 million euros, equal to 1.06% of the province’s added value . This situation makes Modena the seventh province in Italy for the incidence of mismatch on added value.
Decline of the youth population
Over the last 20 years, Modena has recorded a 6.6% decrease in young people between 15 and 34 years old. This decline is due not only to the decline in births, but also to the growing tendency of young people to build their future abroad. Despite this, Emilia-Romagna remains attractive for graduates, with Modena placing sixth in Italy for attractiveness towards young graduates.
As of 31 December 2023, in the Modena area there were 5,374 businesses managed by under 35s. Of these, 25.1% are managed by women and 28% by foreigners. There are 1,764 youth artisan businesses, representing 9.1% of the total artisan businesses in the area.
Investing in young people
According to Lapam Confartigianato, it is essential to focus on young people and invest in their training and future. Micro and small businesses in the area are demonstrating greater attention to employee welfare, with flexibility policies, increased wages and smart working. Furthermore, the number of new youth businesses has increased by 42.5% in the last five years at a regional level, a positive sign for the future of the entrepreneurial system.
“We have a duty to focus on young people – conclude from Lapam Confartigianato – and to invest in their training and their future. The micro and small businesses in the area, understanding the difficulty in finding personnel, are also more attentive to the welfare of employees, as the data tells us. Factors such as flexibility, expected by 32.5% of regional companies, the increase in wages and smart working, just to name a few, play a key role in terms of attractiveness they want to start their own business activity: the fact that, at a regional level, the figure for new youth businesses has increased by 42.5% in the last 5 years gives hope to us as an association and to the entire entrepreneurial system”
