NEETs in the U.S. & the Great Recession: Young Adults Not in Education, Employment, or Training

Krista K. Payne , Bowling Green State University

The onset of the Great Recession (December 2007 - June 2009) has brought attention to the phenomenon known as NEETs--youth not in education, employment, or training. Coined in the UK and recognized by OECD countries, little attention has been given among population researchers in the U.S. Using data from the October Education Supplement of the Current Population Survey, the first aim of this investigation is to identify NEETs in the U.S. and situate the U.S. globally by answering the question: What is the prevalence of NEETs in the U.S. and how do we compare to other countries? Next, informed by research done in the UK, Australia, and Japan (among others), I seek to answer the questions: What micro and macro factors affect a young adult's risk of becoming a NEET? Further, is there an effect of the Great Recession on the incidence of NEETs in the U.S.?

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 Presented in Session 2. Children & Youth