Around one third of workers around the world are doing jobs mismatched to their qualifications, skills and fields of study.
A report, released by the OECD this week, said this had significant economic and social costs, particularly when people were over-qualified for their jobs.
“For example, adults who work in jobs that do not require their level of education receive 12 percent lower wages compared to peers who are in well-matched jobs,” the report said.
“They are also four percentage points less likely to report high life satisfaction. This suggests that people in roles that do not use their qualifications can often believe their potential is wasted.”
The Survey of Adult Skills report also found that literacy and numeracy was stable or declining in most countries, and the education level of parents was one of the key drivers of proficiency in these areas.
The report said the disconnect between skills and jobs was a result of people studying in areas where there was limited demand and the slow development of training to meeting industry needs.
It said this could be addressed by governments investing in recognising, rewarding and certifying skills, including those acquired informally in the labour market.
“By aligning education and labour market demands, countries can foster a ‘skills-first’ culture, reduce mismatches, and ensure that education investments translate into tangible economic and social benefits,” the report said.
“Education can reduce inequalities in society, but it can also perpetuate them, as disparities in educational attainment tend to persist across generations.”
Of the 30 countries surveyed for the report, only Denmark and Finland had improved their literary efficiency over the past decade.
Numeracy outcomes were more positive, with eight countries improving their scores, led by Finland and Singapore.
The report said most of the countries and economies that experienced skill declines saw literacy and numeracy proficiency decrease across a broad range of age groups.
“Widespread educational expansion did not compensate for these trends, as proficiency among tertiary-educated graduates decreased or stagnated in most countries,” it said.
“These findings underscore the urgent need for policymakers to focus on lifelong and life-wide learning, ensuring that education and training systems are more adaptive to evolving demands.”
The full report is on the OECD website.
