In the Azores, 19.1% of young people aged 15 to 34 – approximately 10,700 individuals – dropped out of at least one level of education without completing it. The majority, 80.9% (45,200), remained in education without leaving any levels incomplete. Nationwide, 16.8% of young people – approximately 369,400 – face the same reality of dropping out of school, while 83.2% (1,827,800) continued their studies without interruption.

The figures are from the latest survey by the National Statistics Institute (INE), with data from the 2024 module of the Employment Survey on “Young people in the labor market.”

Among young people in the Azores who did not complete their education, dropping out of secondary school is the most frequent reason. Around 59.2% of cases, representing approximately 6,100 young people, left secondary school before completing it. At the national level, the situation is also worrying. However, slightly less significant: half of the young people who interrupted their studies (185,600) dropped out of higher education, while another 142,400 (39%) left before completing secondary education. Around 37,600 (10.3%) dropped out even earlier, during the first cycle of basic education.

The reasons that lead young people in the Azores to drop out of school are diverse, primarily reflecting difficulties in their school careers and economic issues. Approximately 29.2% of students reported that the course was too difficult or did not meet their expectations, and 22.6% dropped out due to financial reasons. Additionally, approximately 2,400 young people dropped out for personal reasons. Across the country as a whole, the data follow a similar trend: 30.1% of young Portuguese justify dropping out with financial problems, 28.2% with difficulties in their studies or frustration with the course, 7.1% with health problems or the need to care for family members, 20.5% for personal reasons, and 14.1% for other reasons.

When examining young people in the Azores who have completed higher education, it is evident that a large majority (91.4%) followed general education paths, without any vocational component in secondary or post-secondary education. The national trend is similar, although slightly more balanced: of the 655,100 young Portuguese people with higher education, 87.6% (561,900) hold a general education, while only 12.4% (79,800) possess a professional or vocational qualification.

Regarding integration into the labor market, young people in the Azores continue to face challenges. Only 67.8% consider that their education meets the requirements of the job they currently hold or have held, while 25.5% are overqualified for their current jobs. There is no clear data on the number of individuals who are underqualified in the region. At the national level, the situation is slightly better: 72.9% report having an adequate education, 20.8% are overqualified, and 6.4% work in jobs that require a higher level of education than they possess.

Regarding the match between training and professional activity in the Azores, only 36.2% of young people believe that their training fully or almost fully meets the requirements of their job. Around 18.3% say that there is a high degree of correspondence, 20.2% say that there is some correspondence, and 14.9% say that there is no correspondence between their training and the work they do. In the country as a whole, 41.3% of young people consider that there is a total or almost total match, 16.4% say that it corresponds to a large extent, 13.5% to some extent, and 16.8% have no match with their training.

When the analysis focuses on the skills acquired, regardless of their area of training, 68.8% of young people in the Azores consider that these skills are in line with the job requirements, but 27.3% feel that they possess skills above what the job requires. No data is available on the percentage of those who think they are underqualified in the region. At the national level, 74% say their skills are adequate, 22.7% say they are above requirements, and 3.3% say they are below requirements.

Filipe Torres is a journalist for Correio dos Açores – Natalino Viveiros, director.

Translated to English as a community outreach program from the Portuguese Beyond Borders Institute (PBBI) and the Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures Department (MCLL) as part of Bruma Publication and ADMA (Azores-Diaspora Media Alliance) at California State University, Fresno, PBBI thanks Luso Financial for sponsoring NOVIDADES.