Benevento’s Employment Struggles

Employment is declining in the province of Benevento, a trend influenced by the strongly negative numbers related to employees. There are signs of resilience, however, on the self-employed front. But what is more concerning is the inactive population, those who do not have a job and, for various reasons, are not looking for one: the percentage in Benevento is among the highest in Italy, as evidenced by the picture painted by Istat for 2024. The employment rate in the province of Benevento, considering the age group between 20 and 64, reached 53.5% in 2024, a sharp drop from 55.8% in 2023. Only 17 provinces in Italy have lower numbers: Enna, Foggia, Catania, Agrigento, Vibo Valentia, Siracusa, Messina, Barletta Andria Trani, Trapani, Crotone, Palermo, Cosenza, Caserta, Naples, Reggio Calabria, Caltanissetta, and Taranto. In Campania, Salerno (56%) and Avellino (58.9%) fare slightly better. The national average (67.1%) is far off, with the top three spots hovering around 80%, held by the provinces of Bolzano, Florence, and Prato. The top ten is completed by Trento, Parma, Monza, Cuneo, Verona, Asti, and Belluno. It is evident where jobs are available and where they are still lacking. On the unemployment front, the rate stands at 8.2% compared to a national average of 6.4%, with Naples leading at 20%. High figures are also recorded in Salerno (12.4%), Caserta (9.8%), and Avellino (9%). Again, the top ten is dominated by provinces in the Center-North: Bergamo (1.5%), Cremona (1.7%), and Pordenone (1.8%) top the list, followed by Bolzano, Treviso, Verona, Lodi, Padua, Trento, and Prato. There is still too much disparity, therefore. But what is particularly worrying is the inactivity rate, that is, those who do not have a job and are not even looking for one, unlike the unemployed, who include those trying to re-enter the job market. The percentage in Benevento, hovering around 40%, is one of the highest nationally. Only 12 provinces have higher numbers: Taranto, Caserta, Reggio Calabria, Caltanissetta, Barletta Andria Trani, Trapani, Cosenza, Crotone, Palermo, Naples, and Catania. Again, Campania, again the South. Salerno and Avellino, on the other hand, fare better, just above 30%. The national average is 27%, with the lowest figures in Florence, Trieste, Prato, Bolzano, Asti, Milan, Piacenza, Aosta, Bologna, and Parma. Thus, there is a need to stimulate not only employment but also the search for a job, overcoming an attitude that can have multiple interpretations but seems dominated by a sense of resignation. The report from the Statistical Institute also outlines the differences between various categories, starting with those related to dependent work. In this sector, the province of Benevento experienced the most significant drop in Campania in 2024, losing 7,000 employees: there were 64,000 in 2023 (and 65,000 even earlier, in 2022), while in 2024 the count stopped at 57,000. Bad, but not as bad as Benevento, are also Avellino and Caserta: in both cases, there are 3,000 fewer jobs. Dependent work, however, is increasing in coastal areas, with an increase of 6,000 employees in the province of Salerno, and even 29,000 employees in the province of Naples. This is a clear sign of employment shifting from inland areas to coastal ones. Different numbers for self-employment: Benevento grows by 2,000 units, as does Avellino (+7,000), Caserta (+1,000), and especially Salerno (+14,000). Numbers, however, are declining in Naples (minus 9,000).