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Youth Apprenticeship Positions Abound in Brazil, But Many Refuse Formal Registration to Keep Social Benefits, Creating a Risk of Skilled Labor Shortages.
The apprenticeship program in Brazil was created in 2000 with the Learning Law (No. 10,097/2000), which requires medium and large companies to reserve 5% to 15% of their positions for young people between 14 and 24 years old in special contracts of up to two years. The goal has always been twofold: to offer first formal work experience and at the same time ensure technical and citizenship training.
More than twenty years later, however, a paradox worries experts and employers. Despite the legal obligation and the demand from companies, thousands of apprenticeship positions remain unfilled. The problem is not a lack of supply — but rather the difficulties in attracting young people willing to assume formal ties.
Why Young People Refuse Formal Positions
Reports from institutions such as Espro (Social Professional Education) and data from Dieese indicate that some young people prefer informal and temporary activities, which provide immediate income, rather than give up social benefits or submit to contracts with low initial pay.
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Another factor is bureaucracy: many young people face obstacles in gathering documents, proving school enrollment, or balancing study hours with job requirements.
In areas of greater social vulnerability, financial pressure drives many to opt for occasional work instead of an apprenticeship program that pays little and requires regular school attendance.
According to Marcos Fava Neves, an economist and professor at USP, “apprenticeship is one of the smartest public policies the country has, but if young people do not see immediate practical advantages, participation declines. It is necessary to balance social incentives with real opportunities.”
The Consequences for the Labor Market
The most evident risk is a shortage of skilled labor in the medium term. If young people stop participating in apprenticeships, they lose access to technical courses, training, and their first formal employment record — precisely what would open doors for future jobs.
For companies, this means an increasing difficulty in filling operational and technical roles that depend on basic qualifications. There are already reports in the services, logistics, and commerce sectors of positions remaining open for months, with no candidates willing to meet formal requirements.
The Weight of Social Benefits
Experts also emphasize that the interaction between income transfer programs and formal jobs needs to be better adjusted.
In regions of the North and Northeast, there are cases of families refusing formal registration for young people precisely due to fears of losing the Bolsa Família or other aids that supplement income.
According to a survey by Bnews, employers in the Northeast have encountered resistance even in signed positions, a phenomenon that also repeats in apprenticeships.
The problem is not a lack of interest in work, but the fear of giving up social benefits that offer minimal security in a market marked by high turnover.
Paths to Avoid the Shortage
The solution, according to labor law and social policy experts, involves three fronts:
Flexibility of ties: creating apprenticeship contracts that do not interfere with social benefits, reducing the dilemma between Bolsa Família and formal work.
Incentives for companies: expanding tax benefits for employers who maintain active apprenticeship programs.
Education and communication: better explaining to young people and families that the apprenticeship program is an entry point, not a labor trap.
The National Confederation of Industry (CNI) already advocates for the law to be modernized to reflect the new realities of the labor market and the challenges of social inclusion.
If the country does not resolve this impasse, the current generation of young people may be the first in decades to have less access to the formal market than their parents.
The result is a vicious cycle: more informality, less qualification, and consequently, a less competitive Brazil.
The apprenticeship was created to break this cycle. But as long as there is no balance between social incentives and employment stimulation, positions will continue to abound — and companies, like young people, will keep losing.
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