Two out of three young people who completed their studies in 2017 and subsequently held at least one job during the next three years were employed in a job classified as being in a ‘shortage occupation’, that is, a job which is exposed to recruitment difficulties. On average, these young people had more qualifications than other young people in employment. They also had better employment conditions: 41% were hired on a permanent contract, compared to 22% of hires in non-shortage occupations. These improved employment conditions were identified as a key factor in young people’s decisions to pursue these professions, which are in short supply, on a long-term basis. However, it is important to note that shortage occupations do not constitute a homogeneous entity. Five distinct profiles of shortage occupations could be delineated: two of these profiles were characterised by a transitional phase and were associated with individuals possessing limited qualifications, such as hotel and restaurant employees or agricultural workers. The remaining three profiles, which were more long-term and generally required specific skills, were more frequently pursued by young graduates. These include nursing, computer engineering and law.