Study: College grads increasingly concerned about underemployment

By Terri Dee

The market is bleak in Ohio and nationwide for college graduates struggling to find their first job or the next position in their field of study.

A study from the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce suggests a rise in underemployment – having more education or skills than a job needs – is a sign that the value of a bachelor's degree is decreasing. It also claims that unemployment is rising alongside this trend.

Jeff Strohl, director of the center, said students who want to avoid unfulfilling work should review data to determine which industries have sustainable opportunities.

"There’s not a lot of readily available information about tomorrow’s labor market," he said. "We do have data out there on projections, on high-growth industries – so they can find it. They just need some help to look for it."

Strohl said it’s helpful knowing if an industry has an abundance of open jobs before choosing to pursue a degree in that field. He recommended for students to be deliberate in their academic choices, as college tuition is more costly over a longer period of time.

Some high school graduates choose to take a gap year to think through their path. Strohl said this can give them time to consider if a career choice is right for them. He views the job market as complex, and said Georgetown University has new tools to help students make the right call.

"So, we have a lot of new data," he said. "One is the College Scorecard. Two is some tools that we have on our website to help people understand the relationship between what they study in school and what they end up doing in the labor market, and how that job leads to, or doesn't lead to, some sense of economic opportunity."

Strohl noted rural learners face challenges in accessing and completing college. Some of the biggest obstacles include poor access to reliable transportation, food and housing insecurity, and lack of high-speed internet, along with the cost of tuition and college applications.

Support for this reporting was provided by Lumina Foundation.