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EMPLOYMENT

Over 25 percent of young Italians not in work, education or training

Some 25.7 percent of young Italians were neither in employment, education or training in 2017, according to figures from Eurostat.

Over 25 percent of young Italians not in work, education or training
Italy's youth protesting against high unemployment in 2011. Photo: Filippo Monteforte/AFP

The percentage equates to one in four Italians aged between 18 and 24 and is the highest among EU member states. The EU average for NEETs (Not in Education, Employment or Training) within the same age group is 14.3 percent.

Italy is ahead of Cyprus (22.7%), Greece (21.4%), Croatia (20.2%), Romania (19.3%) and Bulgaria (18.6%).

Italy’s youth unemployment rate stands at around 31% – the third highest in the EU after Greece and Spain. Thousands of young Italians leave the country each year in search of work amid an economy that has hardly grown in a decade.

The Netherlands boasts the lowest proportion of NEETs aged 18-24  – 5.3% – followed by Slovenia and Austria.

“At EU level, nearly 5.5 million young persons aged 18-24 were in 2017 neither in employment nor in education or training,” Eurostat said. “This is the equivalent of the total populations of Slovakia or Finland”.

  

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EMPLOYMENT

Hear ye, here ye! This Swiss city is looking for a town crier

Can you carry a tune? Are you a night owl? If so, this job posting in Switzerland may be up right up your (cobblestone) alley. Here’s how you can submit an application for this… very high position.

Hear ye, here ye! This Swiss city is looking for a town crier
The hat and coat are optional for the job. Photo by Lausanne Tourisme

As far as unusual employment opportunities go, this one from Lausanne is — quite literally — tops.

The city, which employs one of Europe’s last remaining town criers, is looking for people to fill this position on part-time basis.

What’s a town crier?

In Lausanne’s case, it is a person who announces the hours every night between 10 pm and 2 am from the bell tower of the city’s imposing Gothic cathedral, a landmark overlooking the roofs of the picturesque Old Town.

The workplace: Lausanne Cathedral. Photo by Lausanne Tourisme

The person who will assume this position will continue a tradition that this city in the canton of Vaud has cherished since 1405.

These are the requirements for the job:

  • To watch over the city each night
  • Announce each hour on the hour between 10pm and 2am in a melodious voice (in French, but knowledge of foreign languages is a plus)
  • Be able to climb 53 stone steps to the cathedral’s bell tower
  • Not have a criminal record
  • No falling asleep on the job
  • Have a business apprenticeship certificate (we are not sure why)

This is 365-days-a-year job, but the new hire will share the position with other criers.

Interested? This is how you can apply.

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