Global youth employment
What does NEET stand for?
Youths who are Not in Education, Employment, or Training
These intentional breaks between jobs represent an alternative lifestyle where youth prioritize rest over continuous employment
Micro-retirements
What number of graduates intensified competition in China’s job market in 2025?
More than 12 million university graduates entered the labour market in 2025.
Despite Singapore's strong economic rebound post-COVID, this age group continues to experience elevated unemployment rates.
youth / young workers
The Platform Workers Act came into effect on this date
January 1, 2025
This "gap" occurs when youth qualifications don't match employer needs, reducing the economy's future productivity
Skills Gap
Young workers increasingly prioritize these three things over traditional full-time roles
flexible hours, autonomy, and short-term commitments
What was the unemployment rate range for urban youths aged 18–24?
Youth unemployment in China often reached 18–20%.
This type of unemployment in Singapore is often short-term as young people seek suitable roles or gain experience
Youth employment
Platform work accounts for approximately this percentage of employed residents in Singapore
10%
One reason youth unemployment is often short-term rather than permanent.
job searching, gaining experience, or job matching or any acceptable answer
This type of work is often viewed as too rigid for youth lifestyle and personal goals
traditional full-time roles / 9-to-5 jobs
What is “lying flat”?
A social movement where young Chinese reject long hours and intense competition.
Many youths turn down available roles hoping for these, which unintentionally extends their job search period
"Better fit" jobs, traditional jobs or any acceptable answers
These associations were empowered to negotiate collective agreements, giving platform workers a formal voice for the first time
Platform Work Associations (PWAs)
When a young person is unemployed for a long period, this economic effect reduces their future earnings and tax revenue for the country over 40 years
scarring effect
If a significant portion of the workforce retires early or takes frequent breaks, the economy faces this problem which can slow GDP growth.
Labour shortage
Which fast-growing sectors still left many graduates mismatched in China?
Technology, renewable energy, and advanced manufacturing.
What percentage of polytechnic graduates found full-time permanent employment in 2025?
54.2%
The number of platform workers in Singapore grew from 50,000 in 2019 to this number by 2024
100,000
What is the F.I.R.E. movement?
A global lifestyle movement where youths aim for financial independence and early retirement.
This social shift shows youth prioritizing mental health and family time over traditional status, challenging the "social contract" where one works hard now to enjoy later.
work-life redefinition / the response to burnout
In China, some young people pursue this option as an escape from saturated local labour markets, though it rarely provides a sustainable solution
Overseas employment
According to a SUSS study, youths in Singapore now prioritize this over flexibility amid shifting workforce expectations
Job security
CPF contribution rates for platform workers are being gradually raised to match this total percentage that regular employees contribute
37%