QUALIFICATION (MIS)MATCH OF HIGHLY EDUCATED INDIVIDUALS IN THE LABOUR MARKET OF ZAGREB

The article measures the presence of vertical qualification mismatch within highly educated individuals (ISCED 5A, 5B and 6), employed in the labour market of Zagreb, and analyzes the connection between vertical qualification mismatch and personal characteristics of employees affected by this phenomenon. Vertical qualification mismatch consists of two types of mismatches that are analyzed in this paper: (1) educational mismatch (overeducation and undereducation), (2) skill mismatch (overskilling and underskilling). By the primary research implemented in the labour market of Zagreb following was determined: (1) there is a presence of educational mismatch, overeducation in greater extent than undereducation, (2) there is a presence of skill mismatch, overskilling in greater extent than underskilling, (3) educational mismatch is significantly associated with formal education level of employees and (4) a significant overskilling is identified within communication skills in mother tongue and in foreign languages. The article concludes that it is necessary to reduce the negative impact of qualification mismatch in Zagreb by (1) involving individuals in professional training, retraining and lifelong learning, and (2) adjusting the educational system to labour market requirements.