SPAIN'S government has announced a €5 billion investment in tackling unemployment in young adults, and legal changes that mean temporary job contracts can only be issued where a non-permanent position can be 'justified'.
Good, solid careers, not just jobs, is part of the government's aim in getting young adults into the workplace (photo: EducereProject.org)
Work minister Yolanda Díaz (Unidas Podemos) has called for companies to engage with the government's quest to get young people into the job market and building up a career.
“We cannot keep having young adults on salaries of €436 a month,” she argues.
“It gives a very poor impression of our country, our national culture, and our companies.”
With the funding, a micro-credit programme and free legal and financial advice will help young people who wish to do so to start their own businesses, and Sra Díaz (fifth picture) calls it 'the greatest investment since the Transition to democracy' in 'tackling one of the key problems in this country'.
The umbrella project is called the Plan de Garantía Juvenil Plus ('Youth Guarantee Plus Plan'), but has many different sub-sections, and will be rolled out over the next six years, financed by the European Social Fund.
“We need our young adults' talent in the workplace”
Sra Díaz warns that unemployment in the under-25s, particularly, is 'a huge problem in our in-tray', although young adults out of work the scheme will target are likely to be aged up to 30 or 35.
Joblessness in the young in Spain varies drastically according to region, but the national figure is over 39% - the highest in the Eurozone.
Read more at thinkSPAIN.com