Educational and skills mismatch of university graduates with labour market requirements in construction sector in Libya

This thesis investigates the educational and skills mismatch between university graduates and the requirements of the Libyan construction industry labour market. Additionally, it descriptively discusses the expected determinants and reasons behind this mismatch. The data in the current study was mainly collected by using questionnaire. With respect to the incidence of different types of educational and skills mismatch, in line with previous evidence obtained from developing countries, the results show that most employees have held jobs commensurate with their level of education in terms of the level of qualification (low horizontal mismatch). However, a sizeable number of those employees are believed to have a vertical educational mismatch with their jobs in terms of their specialisation. The findings of the present study show that the incidence of educational mismatch is representative, on average, of 30% of the sample for the study. Comparatively, the incidence of educational mismatch in Libya seems to be equivalent to what has been found in prior studies undertaken in other developing countries. With respect to skills mismatch, a considerable number of employees in the Libyan construction sector are perceived to have a skills mismatch with their job specifications. The current study also statistically examines the relationship between certain characteristics of the participants in the study (e.g., gender, age, marital status, education, experience, and firm size) on one hand, and the level of job satisfaction on the other hand. The results reveal a significant association between these characteristics and employees’ satisfaction. This thesis addresses an existing gap in the literature of developing countries by providing evidence and analysis related to the incidence of education and skills mismatch with job specifications in Libya, which has experienced instability and uncertain circumstances in recent years. In addition, it discusses two important areas. First, the study identifies the role of workplace characteristics in determining the level and type of educational and skills mismatch. Second, it investigates the effect that these different types of mismatch could have on job satisfaction among employees in the Libyan construction sector. The results of the present study provide several implications for the practitioner and policymaker. Significantly, it has been noted in the results that the incidence of educational mismatch is attributed more to general degrees rather than specific degrees, and therefore, it is strongly recommended that policymakers in Libya encourage and support more specific-occupation types of qualifications