In Nevin Economic Research Institute report series 32, NERI Economist Ciarán Nugent shows that out of 13 high-income EU members, third level graduates in Ireland are second most likely to be employed in positions that do not require such high levels of education, behind Spain.
Overqualified graduates make up the second highest share of overall employment in Ireland, also behind Spain.
Overqualified third level graduate employees at work as a share of employment is highest in Spain (13.2%), in Ireland (11.6%)
The Nevin Economic Research Institute is a research organisation which, at its core, has a vision of the achievement of a better, fairer society.
As Ireland rapidly expanded access to third-level education over the past generation, an unintended imbalance has emerged in recent decades between the supply of university graduates and the evolution of high-skilled career opportunities. According to the study by the Nevin Economic Research Institute, Ireland outpaced nearly all other high-income EU nations by successful driving greater university participation across households of all educational backgrounds. However, labour market dynamics failed to keep pace.
While drastically narrowing the higher education attainment gap across social strata proves a valuable societal achievement, the resultant influx of degree-holders now outpaces the growth in high-end professional roles able to fully leverage such qualifications. This mismatch has cascaded graduates, especially those first in their families to pursue thrd-level education, into taking up increasingly lower-skilled service sector and sales positions below their credentials and career ambitions.
As the next generation filled openings previously held by those without degrees, it consequently edged some workers with only secondary schooling entirely out of once viable employment options. This employment market saturation squeezes underemployed graduates struggling with subpar wages and unchallenging work misaligned with their expertise, while also shrinking public sector opportunities tailored to non-graduates.
Read the report here
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