New Graduates, the Growing Sectors and in Which Cities They Find Work

LinkedIn News has published the 2025 edition of the First Job Barometer , a research that evaluates both the sectors and the cities that offer the most opportunities to new graduates in Italy. The report is created using data from the platform, among the most important in the world for job search and professional development.

The goal of the barometer is to help new Italian graduates navigate their way into the world of work, which is often difficult. According to Openpolis data, Italy is among the European countries where young people fresh out of university have the greatest difficulty finding their first job.

Jobs for New Graduates in Italy

The latest data on the employment of recent graduates in Italy date back to 2023, and report a complex situation. While in the European Union on average 83.5% of young people who have just graduated from university find work easily, in Italy this percentage drops to 67.5% . This is the worst figure ever, far from the results of other nations in difficulty, Greece (72.3%) and Romania (74.8%).

A figure that reflects the difficulties of young people to find work in our country. The European excellences are very far away, with the podium composed of Germany (91.5%), the Netherlands (93.2%) and Malta (95.8%).

The best sectors for new graduates

LinkedIn News' First Job Barometer analyzed data from recent graduates registered on the platform, verifying which professional figures find work more easily. The analysis excluded both internships and part-time positions that could be tied to temporary employment to pay for studies.

As regards recent graduates who have obtained a three-year degree , the most sought-after positions are:

• Marketing specialist;
• Project manager;
• sales assistant;
• Software engineer;
• teacher.

The data also shows some positions that are growing strongly for those who have this title, but that are not yet in the top 5 of the most popular jobs. These are those related to operations management and art and design .

The situation changes radically for those who have obtained a master's degree . The five fastest growing jobs according to LinkedIn are:

• artificial intelligence engineer;
• sales manager;
• psychologist;
• architect;
• HSE specialist.

In terms of sectors, the one that absorbs master's graduates most rapidly remains education , followed by accommodation and catering services and financial services.

Cities with the most opportunities

However, not all of Italy is homogeneous in these findings. Some cities offer more opportunities for new graduates than others, these are university cities . For those who obtain a three-year degree, the ranking reads:

For those with a master's degree, the Piedmont capital disappears from the ranking, and is replaced by Florence:

These data also confirm some trends that have been evident for some time in the Italian labor market. Milan and Rome remain the centers of greatest attraction for those with high educational qualifications, while the South struggles to keep up with the pace of the Center-North.