This paper compares the distribution of jobs by complexity and firms' willingness
to hire low‐educated labour for jobs of varying complexity in Norway, Italy and Hungary.
In investigating how unqualified workers can cope with complex jobs, it compares their
involvement in various forms of post‐school skills formation. The countries are also
compared in terms of the proportion of small businesses, which, it is assumed, manage
and tolerate the losses from functional illiteracy more than large firms do. Unskilled
Norwegians benefit from synergies that exist between work in complex jobs, post‐school
skills formation and civil integration. Italy has an abundant supply of simple jobs
and its small businesses employ unqualified workers even in complex jobs. Inadequate
post‐school skills formation and the lack of a sizeable small‐business sector set
limits on the inclusion of low‐educated Hungarians.
