Nicosia: Two-thirds of employed graduates experienced some form of mismatch with their skills, the Results Report of the second cycle of the National Graduate Tracking Survey of Cyprus has shown. The survey was carried out by PwC Cyprus in collaboration with the Department of Higher Education of the Ministry of Education, Sports and Youth, and was published by the Ministry on Friday.
According to Cyprus News Agency, the Ministry stated in a press release that the Report was prepared within the framework of the project of the Department of Higher Education ‘Development of a National Graduate Tracking Mechanism and Design and Implementation of a National Employer Survey’ under the Recovery and Resilience Plan of the Republic of Cyprus. Data was collected through an online questionnaire targeting graduates from the academic years 2017/18 and 2021/22 from all Higher Education Institutions in Cyprus.
The survey indicated that graduates from both cohorts reported high satisfaction with their education, with the highest satisfaction scores in Education and Teacher Training (85%) and Business Administration (80%) for the 2017/18 cohort. For the 2021/22 cohort, Law and Information and Communication Technologies reported the highest satisfaction rates at 87%. However, many graduates noted that their programs offered limited opportunities for internships or work placements, impacting their transition to the workforce.
Regarding employment, many graduates sought jobs within their fields, especially in STEM and Health sectors. However, a significant number looked for jobs outside their fields due to a scarcity of available positions and lack of experience. The survey found that 93% of the 2017/18 graduates were part of the labor force, compared to 87% of the 2021/22 graduates. A majority of graduates found employment in Cyprus, with a higher percentage from the 2017/18 cohort working within the country.
The survey revealed a relatively modest percentage of graduates seeking employment abroad, with 9% from the 2017/18 cohort and 11% from the 2021/22 cohort. Male graduates exhibited a higher propensity to migrate compared to females.
A substantial percentage of graduates reported being overqualified or misaligned with their current job roles. Over 40% of graduates from both cohorts felt overqualified, while 20% of the 2017/18 cohort and 16% of the 2021/22 cohort reported a misalignment between their education and job roles. Only one-third of graduates found jobs aligning with their education, indicating a widespread skills mismatch.
The survey also showed that the 2017/18 graduates were more likely to pursue additional training than the 2021/22 cohort, with online training being the most common method. Regarding future plans, most graduates intended to continue in their current positions, though those experiencing a full mismatch were more inclined to seek new opportunities.