A perennial problem of the domestic labor market, that of the mismatch between education and the labor market, is highlighted by a special survey of the Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT) on young people aged 15 to 34, showing that the gap between studies, skills and actual qualifications required by the jobs provided in Greece remains large.{BLA_WRD_TXT}
The results shed light on how young people evaluate the correspondence of education, skills and subject of studies with market needs. They show that this evaluation is diametrically opposed to the evaluation of employers, who believe that the lack of specialized knowledge and talent is responsible for the inability to fill vacant jobs.
Therefore, according to ELSTAT, over 20% of young people who work or are looking for work have a higher educational level, as a result of which they are employed in professions that do not correspond to their knowledge and skills, or remain unemployed.
In the group of young people with a high level of education, this percentage for employees approaches 23%, while for the unemployed it exceeds 30%.
The survey, carried out in 2024 within the framework of a labor force survey, is an implementation of the European regulation and the answers differ based on the educational level and specialty.
In detail, according to ELSTAT, the largest percentage (69.2%) of people aged 15-34 consider that their level of education covers the requirements of their job. This percentage varies significantly, depending on employment status: It is higher for employees (72.2%) and lower for the unemployed (52.3%) and people outside the labor force (61%). Similar differences are found between men and women: 24% of women work (or have worked) in jobs with requirements below their educational level, while the corresponding percentage for men is 20.3%.
The picture differs significantly depending on the profession. Most of the people who participated in the survey (70.9%) consider that their skills cover the requirements of their current or last job. This percentage is higher for men (73%) and people aged 25-29 (72.1%), while it is significantly lower for people aged 15-29 (57%).