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In recent times, there’s been a shift in literacy levels and a gradual move towards overeducation. This is when a person’s level of education exceeds the demands of his job. Across the globe, about 258 million people have higher academic qualifications than they use.

People with a higher level of education are more knowledgeable and have better critical thinking skills. However, excess education leads to an oversupply of overeducated people with limited job prospects.

Every January 24 is celebrated as the International Day of Education in honor of its role in the world. This article tries to explain the effects of overeducation.

Factors Contributing to Overeducation

Several factors are responsible for the rise of overqualified people.

Societal Expectations

General expectations and influences from the educational system sometimes encourage unnecessary further study. That’s because of the prestige that is associated with higher education. This pressures people into seeking unwanted studies to raise their social ranking among their peers and in society.

Job Opportunities

There’s a belief that higher qualifications offer a guarantee of better job prospects. This has resulted in a tremendous increase in the number of people pursuing higher education.

As a result, there’s a surplus pool of overeducated people. This reduces the value of academic credentials (credential inflation) and recognition in the job market.

Inadequate Career Guidance and Counseling

Unnecessary further education often arises from a need for more understanding. All career options have their qualifications and requirements for growth. Effective career guidance can help address this effect of peer pressure.

Lack of Job Opportunity/Mismatch

The absence of opportunities in a chosen field contributes to many overqualified individuals. That’s because it increases the number of people who are highly qualified but need a job to match their qualifications.

Schools can also cause a mismatch in skills. This happens when students get skills in school that differ from what is required by the job market. Skill mismatch can negatively affect employability and productivity.

Consequences of Overeducation

Here are the implications of having too many overeducated people.

Economic Consequences

When they are underutilized, it affects the economy. That’s because it can lead to stagnation in wages and income inequality. It can also result in a decrease in motivation and job satisfaction.

Moreso, it increases the level of underemployment and limits opportunities for career advancement.

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Psychological Consequences

Having a high level of education and an unbefitting job can impact one’s mental health. It can affect confidence levels and lead to low self-esteem, stress, and anxiety. Similarly, it fuels a lack of fulfillment and purpose.

Societal Implications

The influx of students in higher learning puts a strain on educational resources and infrastructure. This can be counterintuitive if many of the graduating students become unproductive. Following this, society needs to catch up on the unfulfilled potential for innovations.

In addition, it can widen the gap between the highly educated and those with lower levels of education. This is not good for any society because it might lead to social unrest.

Too much education is causing a decline in vocational and trade jobs because fewer people are taking those routes. This has led to a shortage of skilled men, and it’s the reason their services have become difficult.

Also Read: Why is it so hard to find a Handyman

Individual Implications

Although excessive education is a collective issue, it’s still an individual matter. The pursuit of higher learning can delay entrance into the workforce. It’s discouraging to have an ill-matched job after this delay. It can lead to financial burdens and low job satisfaction.

An oversupply of overeducated people reduces job security and increases underemployment levels.

Striking the Right Educational Balance 

Reforms in schools and the labor market might help address this surplus.

Educational Reforms

Here’s the role schools can play in dealing with overeducation:

Vocational and Technical Education

The focus on traditional higher education has made other forms of schooling unattractive. However, none is better than the other, and they should be portrayed as such. There’s even more need for blue-collar jobs now because of globalization.

Also Read: How to Choose the Right Vocational Skill: An Effective Guide

Apprenticeship Programs and Alternative Education

This is an effective way of training good hands by providing formal and informal education at the same time. It offers the opportunity to try out a field without incurring financial losses like student loans. This way, if the student is still determining his choice, he can easily reconsider other options.

Flexible education and training programs can also help. This should be a non-conventional system where taught skills align with the changes in the job market. This will help to reduce the skill gaps in the workforce.

Lifelong learning and Upskilling

The world is changing, and so are the demands of the labor market. In a short while, acquired skills become obsolete and out of line with job requirements. So, lifelong learning is important for upskilling and adapting to market demands.

Enhance Career Guidance and Counseling Services

People often make educational choices because of pressure or a lack of understanding. Effective career guidance and counseling can help people make informed choices.

Job Market Reforms

Jobs need people to perform their tasks successfully, and so the job market has its role to play as well.

Collaboration between Education Institutions and Industries

Industries could help reduce overeducation by working with academic institutions. Together, they can strengthen educational programs to provide the right knowledge and skills. This will shorten skill gaps and improve productivity.

Flexible and Adaptable Job Opportunities

Organizations can help workers with fewer skills adapt by encouraging job rotation. They can carry out skill matching by alternating roles or tasks among employees. This will broaden their knowledge and enhance their skills and innovation.

Entrepreneurship and Self-Employment Opportunities

Entrepreneurs are the pillars of every economy, and they contribute to economic growth and wealth creation. They can also reduce overeducation. However, aspiring entrepreneurs need training and mentoring for assurance.

There’s also a need to reassess the societal stigma associated with business failure. This will promote self-employment., irrespective of potential challenges.

Final Thoughts

An excess of overeducated people negatively impacts individuals and the workforce. It can have ripple effects on society and the economy.

A balanced system that caters to all career choices is required to address overeducation. However, this is not to belittle the place of education or discourage the pursuit of higher academics.