The phenomenon of surplus education that existing
in many countries is defined by the research literature as a situation
where when an individual’s formal education exceeds job performance
requirements. There may also be a social-occupational reality related
to surplus education regarding a mismatch between one’s trade and an
employee’s subject of study. Both phenomena have negative effects on
an employee, an employer, the economy, and fabric of economic-inter-
national relations that are affected by each country’s ability to‚ export’
human capital. In recent decades, the level of education has increased
in Israel and throughout the world. According to a common perception, this increase led to a surplus level of education in an uncontrolled
manner. This article examines the phenomenon of surplus education
occurring these days in the world, its situation in Israel, including the
scope and the reasons underlying the phenomenon.
