4 out of 10 Brit workers believe they are over-qualified for their job

A new research has shown that 4 out of 10 British workers believe that they are over-qualified for their job.

London, Oct 30 : A new research has shown that 4 out of 10 British workers believe that they are over-qualified for their job.

It was found that 3 out of 10 graduates think their employment does not match their level of education.

The study follows a Government push to increase the number of students going to university.

Experts at Kent University have revealed that the number of graduates 'pouring into the labour market' made the results unsurprising.

For the study, about 7,800 workers were interviewed, which included graduates working in call centres and as clerical assistants who believed their work justified only A-levels.

After the study, it was found that more than 67 per cent of those in customer services jobs, including call centre staff and customer care workers, felt overqualified.

These included non-graduates who did not believe their lower-level qualifications were needed.

Almost 66 per cent of those in sales thought their qualifications were not being put to use.

Meanwhile, 62 per cent in 'elementary administration and service occupations', such as junior clerical workers and postmen, thought the same.

In total, 30.3 per cent of graduates and more than 39 per cent of all staff interviewed last year said the entry requirements for their jobs were at a lower level than their qualifications - up from 35 per cent in 2001.

For workers such as managers and lawyers, the figure was much lower and for vocational roles such as medicine, it was virtually nil.

Professor Francis Green, who led the research, said the results did not necessarily mean there were too many graduates. But it means many employers may not be putting workers' skills to best use.

"Education in itself is a good thing. I would be more sympathetic to expanding apprenticeships - but that seems old-fashioned nowadays," the Daily Mail quoted Green, as saying.

"People need to be better informed about the variations in returns to degrees so they don't get disillusioned," he added.

ANI