本研究旨在探討台灣地區青少年近十年間的失業狀況與變遷、失業人口特徵、及失業的決定因素,並主要以非初入職場而有工作經驗的「15至24歲」青少年勞動力為對象,經使用官方二手統計資料及1993至2002年「人力運用調查」資料分析後發現:(1)我國青少年失業現象有日趨惡化的趨勢:如在1991至2003年間,青少年失業人數已由64千人增為131千人、失業率由4.56%增為11.44%、失業青少年佔青少年勞動力比率由4.54%升高至11.45%,此外青少年失業者待業週數平均也已高達23.27週的歷史新高。(2)非初入職場失業青少年的人口特性:傾向為高中職(含)以下低學歷者(佔84.1%)、為高中(含)以下主修專長不明確者(43.7%)、原受雇於邊陲產業者(68.8%)、次要勞動市場者(70.1%)、受私人雇用者(94.7%)。(3)影響非初入職場青少年失業的決定因素:計包括個人人力資本(如教育與主修專長)、勞動市場結構(含產業結構、職業結構、從業身分)、以及總體經濟情勢等三類;顯示個人人力資本不足、原工作所屬勞動市場結構位置不利、及總體經濟情勢惡化時,非初入職場青少年勞工的失業風險即提高,而平均失業風險在1996年起的失業潮中也有明顯遞增的趨勢。本文同時兼及評述國際組織、主要國家、及我國相關青少年就業促進與失業協助的方案,並提出政策建議。
The main purposes of this study are to explore the transition of youth unemployment, to examine the major characteristics of the unemployed youth, and to find the determinants of unemployment for the youth labor forces in Taiwan during the period of 1993 to 2002. Using the 1993-2002 ”manpower utilization surveys” as major data sources, we found that: (1) The degree of youth unemployment has been increasing in Taiwan, such as the youth unemployment rate shifting from 4.56% of 1991 to 11.44% of 2003; (2) The characteristics of the unemployed youth, who are not in the labor market for the first time, tend to be less educated, without marketable skills, and previously employed in secondary labor market; (3) The determinants of youth unemployment in our statistical model are classified into three factors: deficiency of individual human capital, the disadvantaged job positions in the labor market structures, and the recession. The paper also reviewed some programs on youth employment, which were conducted by international organizations, major countries, and Taiwanese government. Finally, the policy implications of this study are also discussed in the paper.