'No dead ends': What the Dutch can teach us about tackling youth unemployment

Here is the latest breaking news from around the world: 'No dead ends': What the Dutch can teach us about tackling youth unemployment12 minutes ago Share Save Add as preferred on GoogleAnna HolliganBBC News, NetherlandsAnthony Devlin/Getty ImagesA landmark report last month found Britain is grappling with a youth engagement crisis - with nearly one in eight 16 to 24-year-olds not in education, employment or training (Neet). Alan Milburn, the former health secretary who authored the report, warned one in six young people could become Neet within five years unless urgent action is taken. What does Neet stand for and why does the UK have so many?

He identified that the Dutch approach was one the UK could learn from. The Netherlands has one of the lowest Neet rates in the world, at 4. 9% among 18 to 24-year-olds.

The Details

The equivalent figure in the UK is 15. So can the UK learn from a Dutch system that is designed around a simple principle? "No dead ends" is the philosophy which underpins Dutch education and youth employment policy - every stage of a young person's journey is designed to lead somewhere.

Under Dutch law, it is compulsory for children between five and 16 to attend school - then they must stay in education or training until they either secure a qualification or turn 18. P van Katwijk/Getty ImagesQueen Máxima of the Netherlands visits the Wood and Furniture college in RotterdamOne of the Netherlands' key tools for cutting school dropout rates is through the kwalificatieplicht (qualification requirement). From around the age of 12, Dutch pupils are streamed into one of three secondary tracks, based on teacher recommendations and primary-school test results:VMBO - the practical route that usually leads to vocational trainingHAVO - which typically leads to universities of applied sciencesVWO - the academic route to research universitiesThe system is controversial, with critics warning that early streaming can disadvantage some children and be detrimental to a young person's self-esteem.

Across the UK, young people can leave school at 16, but after that the rules vary. In England, they must stay in education or training until 18, through full-time study, an apprenticeship or part-time learning alongside work. In Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, there is no equivalent legal requirement, although schools and public agencies still encourage young people to stay in education or training.

What Experts Say

Initially, Amelie didn't feel she connected with any of the options available to herAt 10 years old, Amelie was told to choose the vocational VMBO track at high school. She says this took a toll on her confidence - in the Dutch school system the VMBO track is not the most academic route. However, when she started exploring secondary schools aged 12, she felt more optimistic.

"We had a textiles class, there was a blacksmithing area," she explains. Amelie went on to study fashion but struggled to secure an internship and left her course aged 17.

The story has become one of the most prominent items on the global agenda.