Academica Science Journal Psychologica Series No. 1 (1) – 2012 ISSN: 2285-8083 Page  Copyright  2012 Academica Science Journal. All rights reserved. EMPLOYMENT AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE IN ROMANIA - DIFFICULTIES, ASPIRATIONS AND SOLUTIONS Elena-Adriana Tomuletiu, Dimitrie Cantemir University, Bodoni Sandor 3-5, Tîrgu Mure, Mure, România. Maria OROIAN, Dimitrie Cantemir University, Bodoni Sandor 3-5, Tîrgu Mure, Mure, România. Abstract: This paper presents a proposal for a research project called ”Employment among young people in Romania” born from the desire to assess the problems, needs and aspirations of young people in terms of employment, and identify role models to improve the labor market participation rates among young people. In designing of this research project we started from the objective findings that the young population from Romania is at risk in terms of labor market integration possibilities. So, our intention is to present the methodological design of this research, so that in the next period, with the implication of our students, we will start to put in practice our concept. Keywords: young population, employees, unemployed, formal work, informal work, immigrants INTRODUCTION For a growing number of young people the labor market integration is a challenge, according to ILO the employment rate for this category of population is continuously decreasing worldwide (ManpowerGroup, 2012). Regarding the youth in Romania, the information from the National Institute of Statistics (NIS, 2011) indicates the lowest labor market participation rate for the age group of 15-24 years old, continuously declining since 2000 (from 35.2% in 2000 to 23.8 % in 2011). The issue is also, age group of 25-34 years old, for which participation rate fell by 5 percent, in the same period. Recent data on the structure of unemployment by age categories (NIS, 2012), shows that 31.8% of young people from Romania (23.7% of the population between 15-24 years old, respectively 8.1% of the population between 25 and 34 years old) are affected by unemployment, compared with 14.6% of the population over 35 years old. This situation is also a novelty that could become a major priority in the upcoming years, with two major influences (ManpowerGroup, 2012): lower employability for individuals in general and reducing opportunities for economic development, both nationally and globally. It has been proved that youth unemployment produces effects in the long term on both income and stability at the workplace, because young people affected by unemployment have a lower level of credibility and they are not as confident and flexible when it comes to employment opportunities, so their professional developing becomes more difficult. Another aspect that could be noticed is that while more young people acquire the necessary qualifications for various jobs, job number is not growing properly. As a result, some young people begin their activity in the marginalized sectors, below their qualification and sometimes enter in the unprotected labor circuit ("black