South Mediterranean countries are facing high youth unemployment and are concerned about structural imbalances in their labour markets. They have expressed increasing interest in developing evidence-based employment policies in order to tackle the structural skills mismatches that characterize their economies.

In response, UNESCO is supporting the development of national capacity to undertake labour forecasting in the South Mediterranean area. Based on the outcomes of the employment component of the Networks of Mediterranean Youth (NET-MED Youth) project, and in the framework of the Youth Employment in the Mediterranean project (YEM), both funded by the European Union, this publication draws upon the work done since 2014. It includes five skills forecasting models and its results from seven South Mediterranean countries, targeting priority actors in charge of the development and supervision of national skills-related policies and plans.

This publication also builds on an international perspective to benchmark and compare the work carried out in the Mediterranean area with other initiatives around the world.