58.8% of UK graduates are in jobs deemed to be ‘non-graduate’ roles according to a report by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD).
The CIPD has suggested that over-qualification has hit “saturation point”, with the number of graduates now having “significantly outstripped” the creation of high-skilled jobs.
They also said they hoped that the report’s findings would be “a wake-up call”.
Over-qualification has hit “saturation point”
The report revealed that the increased number of graduates has led to a variety of “negative consequences”, such as employers requesting degrees for roles which were traditionally non-graduate positions, despite no increased skill set being required.
As a consequence, graduates are now said to be replacing non-graduates in roles where the demand for graduate skills is either non-existent or falling.
The trend is more prominent in the construction and manufacturing sectors where apprenticeships are traditionally the route into industry, according to the report.
The “skills premium” held by graduates was “simply wasted”
Peter Cheese, Chief Executive of the CIPD, has suggested that the “skills premium” held by graduates is therefore “simply wasted”.
He added: “The assumption that we will transition to a more productive, higher-value, higher-skilled economy just by increasing the conveyor belt of graduates is proven to be flawed.”
In response to this suggestion, a Department for Business, Innovation and Skills spokesman said: “We are providing the right mix of university places and apprenticeships to ensure more people have the opportunity to advance their careers and businesses to get the skills they need to grow.”
Tamsin Parnell
Image: Luftphilla via Flickr
