Influence of population’s education level on the employment and unemployment rates in the European Union countries

Motivation: Population’s education level plays an important role, translating into proper performance of work duties and decent salary and, as a result, it is one of the fundamental factors influencing the economic growth and the standard and quality of life. Aim: The main goal of the article is to specify relationships between the education level of population in individual EU member countries and their labour market situation, especially the employment and unemployment rates. The analyses carried out also aimed to indicate the differences between the countries and gradual changes in the relevant indices in the years 2006–2015. The relationships between the indices analysed and the existing differences and distances between the countries were presented for three groups: The 28 member countries (EU–28), the old 15 (EU–15), and the new 13 European countries that joined the EU in 2004 (EU–13). The assessment of the said issues was based on indices reflecting the education level as well as the employment and unemployment rates of the population. The empirical data were derived from the European Statistical Office. Coefficients of variation, dynamics, and correlation were calculated. In order to describe the statistical data, descriptive and comparative methods were used. Results: In comparison with the new EU–13 countries, the old EU member countries are home to significantly more uneducated people or people with the lowest level of education, while there is a significantly higher percentage of people with higher education. When it comes to the level of primary, secondary, and higher education — the distance between the old and the new EU countries is slightly decreasing, while in terms of the percentage of young people who do not work or study and the rate of participation of adults in education, the distance is deepening to the disadvantage of the new member countries. The differences in education level are reflected in the employment and unemployment rates of population.