LEVEL OF EDUCATION AND FIELD OF SPECIALIZATION: AS CONTRIBUTOR TO DURATION OF UNEMPLOYMENT AMONG UNIVERSITY GRADATES

Abstract

The study was design to calculate waiting time of employment for graduate in KP Pakistan with respect to level of education and specialization in field. Through multi-stage non-probability sampling responses of 991 respondents were collected who have graduated during 2013 to 2024. The well-known Kaplan Meier method were used to estimate the duration of unemployment for graduates and mantel-Cox test is used to compare duration of unemployment with respect to Specialization and  level of degree.

The waiting time for computer graduates is 22 months to be employed. The minimum waiting time, of 12 months for agricultural Sciences, Pure applied Science and Medical Sciences graduates, while maximum 36 months for Management sciences graduates, to be employed after completion of final degree during the period 2013-2024. The waiting time varies across the specialization. Graduates of management sciences, engineering and law are top ranked specializations on waiting time for employment. This can be contributed to saturation in field and lack of job opportunities in these particular fields of study. Medical science, agriculture science and pure and applied science students have less waiting time to be employed. It has also been found out through this research study that increase in level (Bachelor-PhD) of education decrease the unemployment time for graduates of all fields.

The study can recommend the development of integrated frame work for information about trends of unemployment, career counseling and elimination of unemployment at national level