This article analyzes the relationship between young people and work in Italy with regard to the theme of the cultures, the meanings and the value that they attribute to the work through a review of the literature and an analysis of the available data. Among the questions that arise there are: how has the relationship that young people have with work changed over time, as a result of the process of transformation of the labor market, and how is it changing? How central is it in their life? What are the emerging work cultures among young people? Which aspects are considered most relevant in the job? The article, organized in three paragraphs, first deals with the social representations of young people in the public, political and media debate, and with their current employment situation; then it talks about the effects of labor market transformations on young people’s lives; finally, it analyzes the attitudes of young people towards work between changes and persistence.
Keywords: Italy, Youth, Work, Cultures, Attitudes
Jel Code: A14; J; Z22