Why Türkiye Is Falling Behind on NEET Youth

Türkiye faces a paradox: high unemployment on one side, and a shortage of qualified labor on the other. Meanwhile, millions of young people are neither in school nor in employment — the so-called “NEET” generation. According to the latest study by BETAM, that number stands at 2.3 million.

Only One in Four NEET Youths Are Even Looking for Work

The BETAM report reveals a troubling reality — just 25% of Türkiye’s NEET youth are actively seeking employment.
For young women, the primary barriers are social and cultural. Deep-rooted norms continue to exclude women from the workforce, while media narratives — such as the glamorization of wealth in popular TV dramas — distort perceptions of success and ambition.

For men, excluding those with disabilities or health issues, nearly 46% cite “personal reasons” for not working or studying. Many respondents either refused to elaborate or gave vague, evasive answers — an indication of how sensitive and complex the issue has become.

A Global Outlier

The data show that Türkiye’s youth differ sharply from their global peers.
Across Europe, youth unemployment is generally higher than the NEET rate — meaning young people are at least looking for jobs. In Türkiye, the opposite is true: most NEETs are neither employed nor looking.

Blaming this on laziness, as some do, only deepens the problem. It dismisses systemic failings and entrenches stereotypes that make solutions even harder to implement.

The Real Problem: An Economy That Fails to Create Meaningful Jobs

The root of Türkiye’s NEET challenge, as the report and economists highlight, lies in a weak ecosystem for job creation.
Even when new positions are created, universities and the education system fail to provide the right skills — a result of decades of poorly designed reforms.

“We abolished the concept of failing classes, opened universities in every province, and then wondered why the country became skill-poor,” the analysis notes.
“If higher education becomes just another building instead of a space for vocational and intellectual growth, the outcome should surprise no one.”

Skill Gaps Are a Systemic Failure — Not a Generational One

Blaming young people for lacking skills is misguided. As the author argues, a child’s inadequate education reflects the failures of families, schools, and the state itself.
A spoiled or unmotivated youth, in this context, is not an individual failure but a societal symptom.

Moreover, the problem extends beyond education. Türkiye’s business culture and outdated corporate structures lag far behind global trends in new industries, innovation, and management. Expecting young workers to adapt to a system that refuses to modernize is both unrealistic and unfair.

“We Can’t Demand Work Without Dignity or Fair Pay”

Even when young people do find jobs, low wages and poor working conditions deter them from participating in the formal economy.
Many entry-level offers pay a third of the poverty line, making it impossible for a young person to sustain an independent life.

Under such conditions, NEET youth are not simply choosing unemployment — they are rejecting an economic system that fails to reward effort or skill.

The NEET Crisis Is an Adult-Made Problem

Türkiye’s NEET generation is not a cause but a consequence — the outcome of years of neglect by policymakers, educators, and the private sector.
From unresponsive labor markets to an outdated education model, every structural failure has contributed to alienating a generation that feels unwanted and unseen.

“This crisis belongs to politicians, adults, and business leaders,” the author concludes.
“Blaming the children will not fix what we broke.”

📩 Source: Çetin Ünsalan – [email protected] 

Çetin Ünsalan is an economist and columnist for our Turkish sister newsportal www.paraanaliz.com