Reference site
Vocational training and the school-to-work transition
Logosnet explains how countries prepare young people for work: the international standards behind vocational education and training, how apprenticeships are organised, and what the public statistics say about youth jobs.
What this site covers
The International Labour Organization set out its view on skills in two texts: the Human Resources Development Recommendation of 1975 (R150) and its 2004 replacement, the Human Resources Development Recommendation (R195). We summarise both in our own words, quote only short passages and link every claim back to the official text. Next to the standards you will find country notes on apprenticeship systems, a page on youth employment and a data page built from open statistics.
Start with one of these guides
Each guide stands on its own, so you can begin with the topic closest to your question and follow the links to the others.
ILO Recommendation R195
The 2004 framework for education, training and lifelong learning, explained part by part.
ILO Recommendation R150
The 1975 predecessor, its companion Convention C142 and what changed in 2004.
Youth employment
Unemployment, NEET rates and the policies that help young people find a first job.
Apprenticeships by country
Twenty systems compared, from dual training in Germany to national services in Latin America.
Numbers at a glance
These figures come from the data snapshot on our data page and cover the twenty countries we track. Each tile shows the latest year available for the country named, so years differ slightly between tiles.
3.9%
Lowest youth unemployment: Japan
Share of the labour force aged 15-24, 2025
59.9%
Highest youth unemployment: South Africa
Share of the labour force aged 15-24, 2025
3.1%
Lowest NEET rate: Japan
Young people neither working nor studying, 2019
34.6%
Highest NEET rate: South Africa
Young people neither working nor studying, 2024
The two ILO texts side by side
The table compares the two recommendations on the points readers ask about most often. A recommendation is guidance for governments and is not ratified, unlike a convention.
| Instrument | Adopted | Focus | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| R150, Human Resources Development Recommendation, 1975 | 1975, 60th Conference session | Vocational guidance and vocational training, paired with Convention C142 | Revised and replaced by R195 |
| R195, Human Resources Development Recommendation, 2004 | 17 June 2004, 92nd Conference session | Education, training and lifelong learning, qualifications frameworks, skills recognition | Listed as an up-to-date instrument in NORMLEX |