Youth unemployment around the world is rising to levels not seen in decades.
According to the International Labour Organization, in 2023, around a fifth (21.7%) of people between 15 and 24 years old were considered NEETs worldwide.
Many NEETs are listless, struggling through tough economic times, living off loans, and losing hope of retirement or buying a house.
But not all of them are pessimistic about the future.
Some young people reject the idea that being a NEET is a bad thing and want to reclaim the label by creating a subculture of the voluntarily dormant.
Rather than jump on the first opportunities that come along, voluntary NEETs are holding back and hoping to witness an evolving workplace culture that they’ll enter when it suits them better.
Voluntarily idle
Some Gen Zers struggle to find a job or stay in work or education, earning the nickname “disconnected youth.”
One Gallup survey found that Gen Zers are increasingly anxious