The Norwegian Education Mirror 2022
Young people outside education and work
The proportion of young people without and outside of upper secondary education is getting steadily lower
75,900 young people between the ages of 16 and 25 have neither completed nor are currently in upper secondary school education. They make up just under 12 per cent of everyone in that age group. This proportion varies from 15 per cent in Troms og Finnmark to 10 per cent in Oslo and in Rogaland. On a national level, the proportion of young people who have neither completed nor are currently in upper secondary school education has decreased each year since 2010.
Young people who have not completed upper secondary school education are not necessarily inactive. Many chose to leave education to work. Of the 12 per cent who are without and outside upper secondary school education, half of them are in work. The proportion who are in work is highest in Troms og Finnmark and Nordland. These are the same two counties who have the highest proportion of young people who do not complete upper secondary school education.
More boys than girls do not complete upper secondary school education, but there are more boys in work than girls.
The proportion of young people without and outside upper secondary school education is higher among pupils who have immigrated to Norway. 22 per cent of immigrants between the ages of 16 and 25 are without and outside upper secondary school education, as opposed to 10 per cent in the rest of the population. Pupils born in Norway to two immigrant parents differ little from other pupils.
Follow-Up Service – for young people outside of education and work
The Follow-Up Service helps young people who interrupt or do not start upper secondary school education or work. In June 2022, 13,500 young people were registered with the Follow-Up Service. In recent years, fewer and fewer young people have been outside of education and work. From 2013, the number of young people in the Follow-Up Service has gone down by 31 per cent. This trend may be linked to more people completing upper secondary education.
Half are starting upper secondary school education or work in the next school year
The most important goal for the Follow-Up Service to succeed in their work is for young people to start upper secondary education or work after having contacted the service. 55 per cent of young people who were in the Follow-Up Service's target group as of June 2021 had started school, training or work in autumn 2021. This proportion varies from 62 per cent in Oslo to 50 per cent in both Viken and Troms og Finnmark.
About the Follow-Up Service
The Follow-Up Service is a county municipal service for young people under the age of 21 who have the right to upper secondary school education, but are not in upper secondary school education or work.
The aim of the Follow-Up Service is to ensure that young people in the target group are offered training, work or other competence-building measures. The Follow-Up Service is responsible for coordinating the interdisciplinary efforts for these young people.