Empirical Analysis of Employees with Tertiary Education Occupational Imbalances

Abstract

High percentage of graduates (among the highest in the world) with university degrees combined with unacceptably low level of utilization of acquired qualifications and generally low quality of education in the majority of Russian universities result in huge structural imbalances. The article presents quantitative estimates of disproportions between the educational levels of employees with higher education and their professional occupation for different branches of economy. A logit models based analysis is performed of how much the professional functions performed by employees match their professional qualifications, levels of education and the extent to which their previously acquired expertise and skills are put into use. The sample used represents working population of Russia with tertiary education. The results obtained allow to the conclusion that worst disproportions between education levels attained and job requirements are observed in trade and services sector, transport and communications, housing and utilities, consumer goods and food industries. The matters are compounded by inert and informationally inefficient labor market, incapable of sending proper signals to national system of tertiary education.