NEET, One Term to Bind Them All

In many cases the label NEET (referring to the youth Not in Education, Employment, or Training) is applied without really taking into account the diversity within the group. Even among the studies focusing on NEET diversity, few publications challenge the use of the label at the international level. This article accepts that challenge and combines the mentioned perspective regarding educational level. The article also presents explanatory models, with variables belonging to four categories (NEETs and unemployment, economy, social aspects and education) aiming to analyze those differences. The results reveal that the difference between countries on the average educational attainment of NEETs and the rest of the youth are considerably big and that (1) variables connecting NEETs and unemployment do not explain those differences; (2) economic variables slightly explain the phenomenon; (3) social aspects show volatile significance; and (4) mostly educational factors clarify the differences. This study shows that for the study countries, the less competitive the education system, the higher risk of becoming a NEET for those who attain higher educational levels.