Graduates struggle to find work as industries shrink and skills mismatches intensify

The economic decline also created work environments where even qualified individuals struggle to find placements. The shrinking economy means fewer companies are hiring, and those that once offered structured career progression have either stagnated or closed altogether. The research notes that this widespread deindustrialisation reshaped the assumptions of young people who once believed that university education would naturally lead to stable job opportunities.

Zimbabwe continues to struggle with a deep economic crisis, and a new study reveals how this prolonged instability has forced university graduates to rethink the very purpose and value of higher education. The research exposes not only the scale of youth unemployment but also the structural and policy shortcomings that have left highly educated Zimbabweans without pathways into meaningful work.

The study, titled “Rethinking the Value of Education amid the Economic Crisis: The Experiences of University Graduates,” published in Education Sciences, examines this widening divide through the experiences of 14 graduates who were interviewed five years after completing university. Their accounts point to a shifting national sentiment in which education, long considered the gateway to prosperity, is increasingly perceived as offering little more than symbolic status without economic return. 

Education under strain as economic crisis redefines opportunity

For decades, Zimbabwean families have viewed higher education as the most reliable path to security and upward mobility. This belief intensified after independence, when the government invested heavily in expanding access to schools and universities. The system grew rapidly, producing a large, highly credentialed population. What was not anticipated was the simultaneous economic decline that began in the late 1990s and worsened in the 2000s, undermining the very industries expected to absorb this educated workforce.

Hyperinflation, currency instability, depleted industrial capacity and the shutdown of manufacturing and service sectors dramatically narrowed job openings. As industries contracted, universities continued to expand, admitting more students and producing more graduates than the labour market could absorb. The imbalance intensified unemployment to alarming levels, with national estimates showing millions of Zimbabweans of working age left outside formal employment.

The research documents how graduates increasingly view education not as a reliable investment but as a burden carried without return. The study reveals that many graduates now reassess their past expectations, recognising that their degrees have not provided the leverage needed to enter the professional world. Instead, academic certificates function more like social identifiers than pathways to economic participation. The credentialism theory used as the study’s analytical lens helps explain this trend by highlighting how credentials have become detached from the labour function they are meant to signal.

The economic decline also created work environments where even qualified individuals struggle to find placements. The shrinking economy means fewer companies are hiring, and those that once offered structured career progression have either stagnated or closed altogether. The research notes that this widespread deindustrialisation reshaped the assumptions of young people who once believed that university education would naturally lead to stable job opportunities.

Credentials lose meaning as social networks shape employment outcomes

The research uncovers a growing perception that degrees no longer translate into employment and instead serve merely as proof of membership within an educated class. Graduates with qualifications in fields such as law, accounting, education and social sciences describe scenarios where their academic status offers prestige but fails to open doors within a paralysed economy.

This shift from credential to “membership card” reflects a deeper transformation in Zimbabwe’s employment landscape. The study shows that hiring practices have become informal and increasingly influenced by personal connections rather than merit. Job placements, when they do occur, often depend on family networks, acquaintances or relationships with individuals in authority. The research argues that such dynamics erode the foundations of a merit-based system and diminish the instrumental value of university degrees.

The dominance of social networks over formal qualifications also intensifies inequality. Graduates from families without influence or professional ties face steeper barriers, reinforcing class disparities and limiting social mobility. The findings align with broader scholarship on nepotism and labour market discrimination in developing economies, suggesting that Zimbabwe’s experience mirrors patterns observed across Sub-Saharan Africa and parts of Europe where employment opportunities have contracted faster than education systems can adapt.

The study further demonstrates how the rise of nepotistic hiring diminishes the purpose of higher education. Instead of preparing individuals for specialised work, academic programmes become disconnected from employment expectations. This accelerates frustration among graduates who invested financial and emotional resources into education with the assumption that credentials would enhance employability. The research underscores how this misalignment undermines public trust in the education system and triggers scepticism among youth considering university study.

The rapid expansion of higher education amplified this problem. As universities increased enrolments, particularly in humanities and business-related fields, the labour market remained stagnant. The study notes that the mismatch between supply and demand places downward pressure on graduate wages and limits opportunities for professional growth. International comparisons drawn in the research show similar outcomes in Albania, Turkey, Poland and several EU nations where educational expansion outpaced economic growth, producing rising unemployment among university-educated youth.

A system in need of overhaul: Linking universities to industry demands

With unemployment rising and industries shrinking, the study argues that Zimbabwe’s higher education system must undergo urgent restructuring to address the mismatch between training and real job needs. The research calls for a reconfiguration of the relationship between universities and employers, with industry taking an active role in determining enrolment figures, skill priorities and curriculum relevance.

The authors propose that universities must develop programmes informed by evolving labour market conditions rather than purely academic considerations. This includes strengthening digital, technical and entrepreneurial skills while phasing out programmes that continually produce graduates without viable employment pathways. Aligning curricula with industry needs would better prepare students for economic participation and reduce the oversupply of graduates in saturated fields.

The study also recommends that industries share annual data on projected growth trends, job openings and skill requirements. Such information would enable universities to adjust admissions and training capacity to realistic levels, preventing a surplus of graduates competing for nonexistent positions. This coordinated approach could stabilise both the education and employment sectors by ensuring that academic output aligns with national development goals.

In addition, the research highlights the need for transparent recruitment systems that limit the influence of nepotism. It suggests leveraging digital tools and automated selection mechanisms to reduce human bias and ensure fairness. By embedding technology in recruitment pipelines, governments and companies can create opportunities based on competence rather than connections.

The study also acknowledges that despite the challenges, education still offers intangible benefits. Graduates recognise that university learning enhances critical thinking, improves awareness and develops resilience. These strengths support personal growth even when economic gains remain limited. However, the authors argue that these intrinsic benefits cannot justify the steep financial costs borne by families unless the education system evolves to provide clearer professional outcomes.

Universities, policymakers and industries therefore face a shared responsibility. The research positions education reform as central to national recovery, economic inclusion and youth empowerment. High unemployment levels, rising graduate frustration and declining confidence in academic qualifications make it clear that without intervention, Zimbabwe risks deepening long-term economic and social instability.

In the long-term, bridging the divide between education and employment will require sustained national commitment. The study stresses that implementing its recommendations is essential to preventing further disillusionment among youth and strengthening Zimbabwe’s capacity to rebuild a resilient workforce. Without such action, the value of education will continue to erode, leaving an entire generation of graduates suspended between aspiration and economic reality.