Degrees of Doubt: Overqualification as a Blind Spot at the Base of the Knowledge Economy.
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| Title: | Degrees of Doubt: Overqualification as a Blind Spot at the Base of the Knowledge Economy. |
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| Authors: | Pantea, Maria-Carmen1 (AUTHOR) maria.pantea@ubbcluj.ro |
| Source: | Minerva: A Review of Science, Learning & Policy. Mar2026, Vol. 64 Issue 1, p217-240. 24p. |
| Subject Terms: | *Graduate education, Call centers, Information economy, Underemployment, Human resources departments, Service industries, Labor market |
| Geographic Terms: | Romania, Eastern Europe |
| Abstract: | Europe has the most educated generation in its history, yet an alarming number of graduates are overqualified. This paper explores the intersection between education and work from the perspectives of those involved in a sector that is prone to overqualification: the call centres of Romania's thriving business service sector. Based on over 100 in-depth interviews with young people, human resource personnel, and managerial staff at different levels of seniority, the paper maps subjective views about overqualification. Despite the objective classification of employment in call centres in terms of national occupational codes, most interviewees, regardless of their role, were unlikely to read their employment through the lenses of overqualification. Young people internalised the gap between education and employment and learned not to attach strong employment-related expectations to degrees, especially those in the social sciences and humanities (non-STEM). Managers and HR staff highly regarded company-specific skills and had learned to tap into a group of graduates without clear labour market routes. The paper conceptualises the availability of jobs at the bottom of the 'knowledge economy' in connection with employment structures available in the economic semi-periphery and problematises politically the question of overqualification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Minerva: A Review of Science, Learning & Policy is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Education Research Complete |
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| Header | DbId: ehh DbLabel: Education Research Complete An: 192345266 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Degrees of Doubt: Overqualification as a Blind Spot at the Base of the Knowledge Economy. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Pantea%2C+Maria-Carmen%22">Pantea, Maria-Carmen</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> maria.pantea@ubbcluj.ro</i> – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Minerva%3A+A+Review+of+Science%2C+Learning+%26+Policy%22">Minerva: A Review of Science, Learning & Policy</searchLink>. Mar2026, Vol. 64 Issue 1, p217-240. 24p. – Name: Subject Label: Subject Terms Group: Su Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Graduate+education%22">Graduate education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Call+centers%22">Call centers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Information+economy%22">Information economy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Underemployment%22">Underemployment</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Human+resources+departments%22">Human resources departments</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Service+industries%22">Service industries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Labor+market%22">Labor market</searchLink> – Name: SubjectGeographic Label: Geographic Terms Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Romania%22">Romania</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Eastern+Europe%22">Eastern Europe</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: Europe has the most educated generation in its history, yet an alarming number of graduates are overqualified. This paper explores the intersection between education and work from the perspectives of those involved in a sector that is prone to overqualification: the call centres of Romania's thriving business service sector. Based on over 100 in-depth interviews with young people, human resource personnel, and managerial staff at different levels of seniority, the paper maps subjective views about overqualification. Despite the objective classification of employment in call centres in terms of national occupational codes, most interviewees, regardless of their role, were unlikely to read their employment through the lenses of overqualification. Young people internalised the gap between education and employment and learned not to attach strong employment-related expectations to degrees, especially those in the social sciences and humanities (non-STEM). Managers and HR staff highly regarded company-specific skills and had learned to tap into a group of graduates without clear labour market routes. The paper conceptualises the availability of jobs at the bottom of the 'knowledge economy' in connection with employment structures available in the economic semi-periphery and problematises politically the question of overqualification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of Minerva: A Review of Science, Learning & Policy is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
| PLink | https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=ehh&AN=192345266 |
| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1007/s11024-024-09564-w Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 24 StartPage: 217 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Graduate education Type: general – SubjectFull: Call centers Type: general – SubjectFull: Information economy Type: general – SubjectFull: Underemployment Type: general – SubjectFull: Human resources departments Type: general – SubjectFull: Service industries Type: general – SubjectFull: Labor market Type: general – SubjectFull: Romania Type: general – SubjectFull: Eastern Europe Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Degrees of Doubt: Overqualification as a Blind Spot at the Base of the Knowledge Economy. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Pantea, Maria-Carmen IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 03 Text: Mar2026 Type: published Y: 2026 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 00264695 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 64 – Type: issue Value: 1 Titles: – TitleFull: Minerva: A Review of Science, Learning & Policy Type: main |
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