Job market somewhat easier on graduates

Young people that graduated from a university or college find it somewhat easier to find a job than in previous years. People who completed a vocational course, however, are still having a hard time. This is according to a study done by the Research Center for Education and the Labor Market of the Maastricht University, NOS reports. The Research Center questioned more than 26 thousand young people a year and a half after they completed their training. The latest figures show that 7 percent of college or university graduates are unemployed, compared to 8 percent in 2013. Researcher Christoph Meng is cautiously optimistic about the figures. "It seems that the crisis in the universities is at an end. I see some bright spots", he said to the broadcaster. Meng points out that many young people have "small" jobs, taking up less than 12 hours a week. This group has only grown since the beginning of the crisis. "These young people are vulnerable because they are not financially independent." According to Meng, the job market is still unfavorable for vocational students, especially those who spent longer in training and less time in apprenticeships. Students who completed an internship or apprenticeship finds it somewhat easier to find a job. The study also showed that young people are on the whole critical on the information they received on job opportunities. Only a third of university and college graduates are happy with the information they received on this topic during their studies. 40 percent of vocational students are satisfied with the information.