UNEVOC Connect

Qualification mismatches correspond to misalignments between the qualifications demanded in the labour market and the qualifications possessed by the labour force. They arise in particular when the education system fails to supply the qualifications sought by employers, or when the economy fails to create jobs that correspond to individuals’ qualifications. Qualification mismatch can take different forms, which typically include over/under qualification (vertical mismatch) and field of study (horizontal) mismatch.