Abstract:
Relevant knowledge and necessary skills are considered as pre requirements for good labor
market outcomes. One of the most important ideas in labor economics is to think of the set of
marketable skills of employees as a form of capital in which they make a variety of investments.
This paper was an attempt to move forward on this situation. The primary objective of this study
was to determine the degree of applicability of occupied employees’ graduate studies in labor
market and to identify the consequences of the situation. The study was conducted among
employees in private and public sector who have been passed out from state universities in Sri
Lanka. Random sampling method was used to select the sample and a total of 100
questionnaires were provided for the actual survey. Only 75 questionnaires were taken to the
consideration which was a 91.4 per cent of response rate. Two main research instruments were
used in the study; questionnaires and interviews. Descriptive statistics were used to organize,
summarize and describe the collected data. In addition Cronbach’s Alpha was used for assessing
the reliability of the questionnaire scored with a Likert-type scale. A concise conclusion of
findings revealed that, due to the lack of job opportunities in the most applicable field, low job
interest, low attractiveness of remuneration and allowances, lack of opportunities to upgrade in
career path, internal domination in requirements and promotions, graduates tempt to change
their employment when they enter/ after they entered to the job market. And also for the
employees who are working in irrelevant areas which are not directly applicable with their
graduate study job objectives, have faced a massive problem with the time and money they had
spent on.
