World youth unemployment rate rose last year: UN

Global youth unemployment rose to 12.4 percent last year, according to the United Nations, up from 12.3 percent in 2024, the International Labour Organization reported. This increase in youth unemployment, equivalent to 67 million people aged 15 to 24, impacts high-income countries the most. The share of young people neither employed nor in education or training also increased slightly to 20 percent, affecting over 257 million individuals.

These changes are attributed to factors like slowing economic growth, diminished job creation, geopolitical tensions, and rapid technological change, leading to difficulties in transitioning from school to decent work for many young people. Artificial intelligence and anxiety about job displacement are additional concerns. The report predicts the youth unemployment rate will remain stable at 12.3 percent in 2026 and 2027.