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Sustainability and Employability in the Time of COVID-19. Youth, Education and Entrepreneurship in EU Countries

Author

Listed:
  • Nicu Gavriluță

    (Department of Sociology and Social Work, “Al.I.Cuza” University of Iași, 700506 Iasi, Romania)

  • Silviu-Petru Grecu

    (Department of Political Sciences, International Relations and n European Studies, “Al.I.Cuza” University of Iași, 700506 Iasi, Romania)

  • Horia Costin Chiriac

    (Department of Communication Sciences and Public Relations, “Al.I.Cuza” University of Iași, 700506 Iasi, Romania)

Abstract

This paper aims to identify several changes in the labor market structure in COVID-19 pandemic times. The context of the research is represented by the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic in the economic field, especially at the labor market level. This difficult situation could generate a negative impact in the sphere of traditional jobs and economic sectors. The main challenge for sustainable development in this new global situation is represented by human sustainability. Related to human sustainability, we emphasized the role played by the labor market and employability in mantling an optimal function at the social and economic level. For measuring the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the economic sphere, we used a quantitative design based on descriptive and inferential statistics. The research variables are represented by unemployment rates in the EU-28, employability rates, educational levels, gender, economic growth, labor mobility, material deprivation, economic freedom, and human development indicators. Empirical findings present the situation of a deep economic crisis generated by economic degrowth and by high levels of unemployment rates in the EU-28. Moreover, we have observed several predictors of employability in the new pandemic context as: material deprivation by age (in the field of young people), employment rate by education (tertiary education), and economic freedom. Another important finding is related to the gender perspective. Statistical correlations estimate a positive linear correlation between gender (women) and low rates of employability in the EU-28. All these empirical results could prove valuable for scholars interested in the relations between employability and sustainability and for political decision makers involved in the effort of reducing the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic within national and trans-national economic systems.

Suggested Citation

  • Nicu Gavriluță & Silviu-Petru Grecu & Horia Costin Chiriac, 2022. "Sustainability and Employability in the Time of COVID-19. Youth, Education and Entrepreneurship in EU Countries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(3), pages 1-24, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:3:p:1589-:d:737893
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Ashraf, Badar Nadeem, 2020. "Economic impact of government interventions during the COVID-19 pandemic: International evidence from financial markets," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, Elsevier, vol. 27(C).
    2. Tisdell, Clement A., 2020. "Economic, social and political issues raised by the COVID-19 pandemic," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 17-28.
    3. Neumayer, Eric, 2001. "The human development index and sustainability -- a constructive proposal," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 39(1), pages 101-114, October.
    4. Gerald D. Cohen, 2020. "Measuring employment during COVID-19: challenges and opportunities," Business Economics, Palgrave Macmillan;National Association for Business Economics, vol. 55(4), pages 229-239, October.
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    Cited by:

    1. Beata Bieszk-Stolorz & Krzysztof Dmytrów, 2022. "Assessment of the Similarity of the Situation in the EU Labour Markets and Their Changes in the Face of the COVID-19 Pandemic," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-20, March.
    2. Veronika Bikse & Liva Grinevica & Baiba Rivza & Peteris Rivza, 2022. "Consequences and Challenges of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and the Impact on the Development of Employability Skills," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-23, June.
    3. Lauer, Arthur & Capellán-Pérez, Iñigo & Wergles, Nathalie, 2025. "A comparative review of de- and post-growth modeling studies," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 227(C).
    4. Mariusz Zieliński, 2022. "The Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Labor Markets of the Visegrad Countries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-20, June.
    5. Gabriela Clemente & Alberto Garcia-Prats & Purificación Lisón & Constanza Rubio & Santiago Vidal-Puig & Beatriz Ricarte & Vicente Estruch-Guitart & Loreto Fenollosa & Juan Manzano & Francisco Rovira-M, 2022. "COVID-19 Impact: A Case Study at the School of Agricultural Engineering and Environment of the Universitat Politècnica de València," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(17), pages 1-14, August.
    6. Jackson Juatco Tan & Virginia Ramirez Arceo, 2024. "Women driving Philippine entrepreneurship: Social and governance issues as mediated by economic development," Journal of Global Entrepreneurship Research, Springer;UNESCO Chair in Entrepreneurship, vol. 14(1), pages 1-13, December.
    7. Wei Zong & Huazhong Tu & Fang Luo & Ikramuddin Junejo & Ashraf Ud Din & Darui Zhou & Andi Luo & Haiyang He, 2024. "Social Factors Affecting Sustainable Socially Responsible Purchasing: A Mediating Role of Corporate Social Responsibility," SAGE Open, , vol. 14(1), pages 21582440231, February.

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