Search Results (23)

Millions of young Africans earn a variety of qualifications annually, yet the majority return without prospects for employment. This challenge has become a catalyst for inequality, poverty, crime involvement, and international migration. Empirical discourse points to education—such as a pedagogy that is chiefly theory-oriented rather than aligned with a knowledge economy, mismatched skills, and irrelevant qualifications—as constraints that contribute to the unemployment of the continent’s vibrant young graduates. Amidst this surging issue, the call for transformation in higher learning has never been clearer. Focusing on rural landscapes, this case study analysed the contextual employability potential of graduates pursuing an entrepreneurial university trajectory in Africa, illustrating why the paradigm should be implemented. The findings, based on qualitative data collected using a semi-structured questionnaire through one-on-one and remote approaches from stakeholders in universities across five African countries, highlight three dimensions central to this pathway. These include (1) curriculum alignment to advance cutting-edge qualifications and skill development that resonate with industrial demand and local economic priorities; (2) stakeholder embeddings in which universities strive to partner with local organisations and established alumni to provide mentorship, job leads, and referrals; and (3) innovation hubs that offer a variety of entrepreneurial support, real-world experience, and Indigenous entrepreneurship practices, leading to unique new ventures and employment opportunities. Implementing this strategy will enable rural-based universities in Africa to innovate in promoting graduate employability, socioeconomic advancements, and sustainable development, ultimately shaping a brighter future for the continent. Further studies could test the assumptions for broader application using statistical analysis. Full article

The evolving labor environment underscores the critical role of cognitive and non-cognitive (soft) skills in fostering workforce adaptability and enhancing labor market outcomes. This study investigates the combined influence of these skills on the probability of employment, focusing on the Kenyan labor market, where high youth unemployment and job market mismatches persist despite government interventions and education sector reforms. Traditionally, emphasis has been placed on cognitive skills, with limited integration of non-cognitive skills into educational curricula, exacerbating the disconnect between youth competencies and market demands. Using binary logistic regression, this study evaluates factors influencing youth employment, highlighting the complementarity of cognitive and non-cognitive skills. Findings reveal that individuals possessing a blend of these skills have higher employment prospects, with notable improvements for young women possessing agreeableness and digital literacy. Additionally, factors such as marital status and higher education levels positively influence employability. These results underscore the equal importance of personality traits and cognitive abilities in labor market success. Policymakers are urged to prioritize curriculum reforms that integrate non-cognitive skill development and encourage employers to include assessments of these skills in hiring practices to address persistent labor market mismatches. Full article

This study uses Q methodology to examine the perception types of humanities majors during their employment preparation process. With the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) and automation technologies, traditional career paths for humanities majors are shrinking, leading to intensified job mismatches, psychological anxiety, and social bias. The study identified four perception types: (1) Social Support for Career Challenges, which emphasises the need for emotional and institutional support to overcome career-related anxiety and biases, (2) Building Practical Career Skills, which focuses on enhancing employability through practical job experience and technical skill development, (3) Graduation-related Career Constraints, which highlights the limitations caused by academic graduation requirements, calling for structural reforms and expanded certification support, and (4) Proactive Job Preparation, which reflects active efforts to adapt to technological advancements and competitive job market demands by emphasising digital skill acquisition and practical education. We analyse each type’s characteristics and support needs, offering valuable insights into how to address these challenges. The findings provide policy implications for career guidance and employment support, aiming to improve the employment success rates and job stability of humanities graduates. By offering empirical evidence for tailored support programmes, this study contributes practical recommendations to prepare humanities majors for the evolving job market. Full article

Over the last several decades, there has been an arms race to acquire credentials as higher education has shifted from an elitist system to mass education. From an individual perspective, given the higher education system and labor market conditions, it is rational to pursue advanced qualifications. However, whether the education system delivers improvements in human capital or is principally a signaling mechanism is questionable. Estimates of the proportion of labor market rewards due to signaling range as high as 80%, suggesting that education is not only expensive but inefficient. In an increasingly transactional environment in which education providers are highly motivated by financial considerations, this situation is only likely to be exacerbated by the rapid developments in artificial intelligence (AI). The use of AI has the potential to make learning more effective, but given that many students see credential acquisition as transactional, it may reduce both human capital and the value of the signaling effect. If the credibility of the credentials offered is further damaged, the higher education sector in its present form and scale may well be unsustainable. We examine the evidence on credential inflation, returns to education, and mismatch of graduates to jobs before analyzing how AI is likely to affect these trends. We then suggest possible responses of prospective students, education providers, and employers to the growing adoption of AI in both education and the workplace. We conclude that the current offerings of generalist degrees, as opposed to vocational qualifications, are not sustainable and that to survive, even in a downsized form, the sector must respond to this disruptive technology by changing both the nature of its offerings and its methods of ensuring that the credentials they offer reflect genuine student learning. Full article

This research addresses the importance of the soft skills approach, which encompasses problem-solving, collaboration, interpersonal and communication skills for higher education in the information technology (IT) field. IT graduate students continue to face difficulties in meeting the employability criteria of the global information technology sector due to mismatching capabilities, such as the discrepancy between the technical knowledge obtained in academia and the practical skills expected by employers. This systematic literature review used PRISMA guidelines for data collection. Papers were examined using the inclusion–exclusion criteria, which included concentrating on full-text studies about soft skills in higher education published in English between 2018 and 2024. The keywords used by the inclusion and exclusion criteria are soft skills, higher education, university, undergraduate, graduate, IT, information technology, software, computer science, programming, information systems and IS. The SCOPUS search engine platform found 2088 documents, and the (WOS) database obtained 1383 documents. To comprehend the significance of soft skills in the field and its effect on graduates’ employability, 69 papers were carefully examined. The rapid change following Industrial Revolution 4.0 has transformed the working environment, challenging new IT graduates to be competent in the working environment. This study highlights the importance of soft skills and self-awareness in university education, revealing that current curricula must adapt to the rapidly changing job market, especially post Industry 4.0. The literature review indicates that despite high technical competence, graduates lack essential soft skills like communication, teamwork, and problem-solving, creating a gap between new graduates and industry expectations. Hopefully, this study’s results will contribute to understanding the functionality and necessity of soft skills in the behavioral sciences literature. To bridge the skills gap between industry demands and technical proficiency, academic institutions should incorporate creative teaching approaches prioritizing soft skills like problem-solving, teamwork, and communication. Universities, recent graduates, and companies must work together to modify courses to meet the needs of a job market that is changing quickly. Full article

This study examines the relationship between various demographic and situational factors and working students’ decisions to change their study programmes and abandon higher education. It utilises a sample of 1902 working students derived from the Eurostudent VII survey and employs cross-tabulation and chi-square tests. The findings reveal statistically significant associations between several factors and students’ educational decisions. Males are more likely to consider abandoning higher education than females. Younger students, particularly those up to 21 years old, are more inclined to consider changing their study programmes. Financial difficulties significantly influence students’ considerations of both changing study programmes and abandoning higher education. Students in the arts, humanities, and ICT are more likely to consider abandoning their studies. Conversely, age does not significantly affect the likelihood of abandoning higher education. Parental educational attainment does not significantly influence decisions to change or abandon study programmes, whereas living situations, such as living independently and not living with parents, significantly affect changing the study programme. Qualification level affects the likelihood of changing study programmes, with bachelor’s students more likely to consider changes than masters and long-term national degree students, but it does not significantly affect the likelihood of abandoning higher education. Education–job mismatch significantly affects both changing study programmes and abandoning higher education, while the duration of working hours only influences the decision to alter study programmes. By revealing these findings, this research extends the student retention discourse as well as highlights how cultural, economic, familial, and workplace capital influence working students’ educational decisions. Full article

After the COVID-19 crisis, a considerable contraction emerged in the labor supply of the hospitality industry. This investigation aims to identify some factors that justify the intention behind an ex-worker in tourism changing their occupation. In particular, we investigate if the change is motivated by skill mismatches or by a willingness to find more stable and rewarding jobs. Several datasets were combined to obtain multilevel information on all the unemployed from the hospitality industry between September 2022 and August 2023. A probit model was used to estimate the intention to change occupation, considering different personal, regional and occupational characteristics. Our results demonstrate that, for overqualified individuals, the intention to change occupation is motivated by trying to find better conditions and not by the mismatch per se. In contrast, the underqualified are significantly affected by the mismatch, which make them more vulnerable. Generally, movers are significantly influenced by the odds of having higher job stability and better wages (especially higher overtime premium) and are more frequently younger and higher educated individuals. Therefore, employers and policymakers should promote better wages, job stability, training, and career progression opportunities to reduce turnover in the hospitality industry. Full article

This study discusses the employability of the workforce in relation to information communication technology. There is a difference in understanding in terms of items of importance/satisfaction during/after employment processes when considering organizations related to the information technology workforce. An empirical analysis of Korean employability based on literature from Asia was conducted. It indicated that differences in the perception of the 12 items comprising importance and satisfaction related to employability could potentially lead to job mismatch. We acquired an adequate sample of 296 respondents, consisting of various organizational employees. The sample was balanced in terms of gender and large or small/medium organizations. After establishing the rank of preferences among items, a difference analysis between/among groups through demographic variables was conducted. As a result, the need for additional disciplines or courses, the arrangement of preferred rank, and methods for enhancing skills from university or education/practice institutes for “interpersonal or team-working skills” and to “communicate effectively” with a higher rank among the general skills of importance/satisfaction were derived. Therefore, technology did not replace human personalities, communication skills, and human attributes such as human cooperation. This study can help address labor shortages and support sustainable employment in organizations, even if an empirical test is rare compared to descriptive statistical analyses. Full article

This study looks at how well bachelor’s degree holders in Spain match into jobs five years after graduation. Based on workers’ self-assessment, education–job mismatch is defined as the discrepancy between the formal qualifications that individuals earned at Spanish universities and those that are required by jobs. By estimating a multinomial logit model, this research identifies fields of study that are associated with increased likelihood of a particular educational mismatch status. Results indicate that university graduates from highly specialized bachelor’s degree programs are more likely to work in a graduate job that is related to their field of education. In particular, graduates with degrees that entail specific human capital, such as health sciences degrees and hard science and engineering degrees, are more likely to be well-matched in their current jobs. In contrast, the results show a higher likelihood of over-qualification (recent graduates who are in non-graduate jobs) for social and legal sciences degrees and arts and humanities degrees. Gender appears to play no role in the matching process; however, the subject-specific knowledge that graduates have gained from their time in higher education is important. As a novelty, this study also identifies, for a sub-sample of workers, the process through which a good match is achieved—that is, how individuals self-select to accept jobs in which they can achieve a good match. The regression results are based on micro data from a nationally representative random sample of the first cohort of undergraduates after the Bologna curriculum reform. Full article

This paper examines how AI at work impacts on-the-job learning, shedding light on workers’ reactions to the groundbreaking AI technology. Based on theoretical analysis, six hypotheses are proposed regarding three aspects of AI’s influence on on-the-job learning. Empirical results demonstrate that AI significantly inhibits people’s on-the-job learning and this conclusion holds true in a series of robustness and endogeneity checks. The impact mechanism is that AI makes workers more pessimistic about the future, leading to burnout and less motivation for on-the-job learning. In addition, AI’s replacement, mismatch, and deskilling effects decrease people’s income while extending working hours, reducing their available financial resources and disposable time for further learning. Moreover, it has been found that AI’s impact on on-the-job learning is more prominent for older, female and less-educated employees, as well as those without labor contracts and with less job autonomy and work experience. In regions with more intense human–AI competition, more labor-management conflicts, and poorer labor protection, the inhibitory effect of AI on further learning is more pronounced. In the context of the fourth technological revolution driving forward the intelligent transformation, findings of this paper have important implications for enterprises to better understand employee behaviors and to promote them to acquire new skills to achieve better human–AI teaming. Full article

High unemployment among college graduates has been a big concern in Egypt for many years now. Mismatch in technical competencies and lack of job-oriented skills and inequity in education and career by gender pose a major constraint for Egyptian youth to find employment. Information about whether the gender of the mentor has any effect on the quality of mentoring is also nonexistent. Using web and in-person survey data among agricultural students, faculty, and potential private sector agribusiness employers, this paper attempts to investigate whether there are any significant differences in the application and use of career guidance by male and female students to prepare for careers prospects and align with the industry needs. The results will validate if there are significant differences in between male and female faculty in their perception of relevance of technical and employable skills as well as the use and application of career guidance and mentoring by students to increase their prospects with employers. The findings will be used to develop interventions that would help align student skills with employer expectations as well as upgrade faculty competencies. Full article

Skills needed in jobs and skills mismatches are important topics for research and policy in the field of economic development and the labour market. Understanding skill needs is essential for improving education and training policies, as labour markets experience dynamic transformation driven by rapid technological progress and increased complexity of work. On the other hand, knowledge economy is considered an important driver force of economic growth. This paper aims to assess skill needs in knowledge production and transfer occupations. We analyse data from online job advertisements and from the European Skills and Jobs Survey in order to provide a comprehensive picture of skills needed in occupations related to science, technology and ICT, as well as teaching positions from higher education in Europe. We find that workers involved in knowledge production and transfer activate in highly changing and challenging working environments. They differentiate themselves by other professionals and technicians mostly by the increased need for ICT skills, problem-solving, communication and learning skills, the ability to collaborate and adaptability. Our results are relevant for designing better education and training programs targeting occupations supporting knowledge production and transfer. Full article

The main activating variables of psychological well-being and Emotional Intelligence that influence teachers include the process of evaluating well-being, their motivation, and their ability to perceive and regulate sources of stress and burnout. The relationship and influence of psychological well-being and emotional intelligence was analyzed with the adequate regulation of burnout. Those who participated included 386 active teachers (55%), and teachers in training (45%), studying for degrees in Pre-School and Primary Education, and Master’s degrees in Secondary Education Teacher Training of which 71.5% were women. The following were used: Psychological Well-Being Scales, Trait Meta-Mood Scale and the Spanish Burnout Inventory. Pearson’s correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis were performed. The results showed that enthusiasm for the teaching job is related to psychological well-being, especially domain of the environment and personal growth. Multiple regression analysis made it possible to establish a predictive model of well-being, showing that psychological well-being is the main adjustment predictor and/or the mismatch in the work of the teaching staff in both samples, through an adequate regulation of positive relationships, mastery of their environment and having a purpose in life. Full article

A computer science degree is seen as a good investment, given the lucrative calling of Silicon Valley and the ever-growing demand for software engineers. Yet, it is unclear whether all computer science degree holders fare equally well on the job market. This study explores how the routing of computer science (CS) students to specific educational geographies plays a major role in determining their career trajectories post-graduation. Using a new survey for recent computer science graduates of three public universities in Texas, I measure labor market outcomes for CS degree holders along three metrics: salary, job location, and job title. Results from 157 respondents show that alumni from universities near a major tech hub are more likely to earn higher wages in desirable job markets compared with graduates from a university located far from a dense tech hub. Although most previous studies have focused on gender and racial disparities within the high-tech industry, I provide a new lens to understand how inequality manifests through geographic segregation and leaves even high-skilled job seekers vulnerable to spatial mismatch between their place of residence and proximity to desirable, elite jobs. Full article

We examined trends in the incidence and correlates of educational and skill mismatch in the United States. We focused on trends over time in the associations between various types of mismatch and a range of factors including contextual conditions. We explored whether contextual conditions at the transitional period from school to jobs increase or decrease the probability of mismatch and whether such relationships persist throughout the working career. Our central questions were how the incidence of and relationship between educational and skill mismatch in the U.S. changed between 1994, 2003, and 2012 and how this differed by age, gender, immigration status, educational attainment, and occupation. We used three cross-sectional surveys that had not previously been implemented for such an effort. These were the International Adult Literacy Survey (IALS) in 1994, the Adult Literacy and Life-skills (ALL) survey in 2003, and the Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC) in 2012. Repeated cross-sectional data provided us with substantial analytic leverage. Our findings point toward the key role of occupational or positional factors rather than individual worker characteristics as being most implicated in trends in mismatch. We describe the importance of our results for labor market theories. Full article