A global survey from the Adecco Group has found 77% of young adults are confident they will find work in the first year after studies. The survey finds that most young people are confident they will find work quickly, and believe they are equipped with the right skills to land their dream job. Work experience is what they need most to succeed.

The survey covered 9,572 young adults, aged between 18 and 30 in 13 countries, to gauge expectations about the world of work and their awareness of the skills required by the labour market. Almost 8 out of 10 (77.4%) respondents believe they will find a job within a year of finishing their studies.

Young Swiss adults are the most confident at 89.6%, followed by their peers in the US at 84.4%, while their Spanish counterparts are the least so at 57.84%. Spain has a youth unemployment rate of 45.8%.

The report also shows that 73.08% of respondents feel they are equipped with the right skills. Germans are the most confident at 89% while the Japanese emerge as the most insecure at 31% Regarding the specific skills needed for the future of work, languages (56.7%), and practical experience (53.7%) are cited as most relevant, with digital skills third (41.5%). Moreover, 68.4% say they have a dream job in mind. When asked what they needed most to get it, work experience was ranked first. As to aspirations over the next ten years, financial stability comes first, followed closely by being in their dream job and working for a socially responsible company. 

The survey also shows that 40% claim they cannot find the right skills for their businesses. However, the survey showed young people are heading in the right direction and have an understanding of the priorities required to get onto the job ladder.

“I encourage young people to keep thinking big, holding onto their dreams and building the foundations for their future,” Alain Dehaze, Adecco Group CEO, said. “However, youth employment is a shared responsibility. Public-private alliances are essential to design education systems able to shape profiles with the skills the labour market needs, in the interest of young people and society as a whole.”

Previous research by the Adecco Group has found that countries with established systems of vocational training, such as Switzerland and Germany, are particularly successful in tackling youth unemployment.

Adecco states that in the short term, the private sector can support young people through guidance and internships. In the medium term, however, structural reforms are required to update traditional formal education systems and integrate them with vocational schemes, such as apprenticeships.