Beyond degrees: the complex interplay of youth unemployment and a rising supply of engineering graduates in an emerging economy

This research uses a mixed-method exploratory design, including interviews with 56 participants and a survey of 1,243 unemployed engineers, to explore the relationship between engineering education and graduate employability in Türkiye. The findings highlight several systemic problems in engineering education: inadequate academic preparation of students; theoretical education often not aligned with industry needs; a shortage of quality faculty; limited practical education; capstone projects not related with industry needs. The study also highlights challenges in assessment methods, which rely heavily on rote learning and lack standardisation. As a result, many engineering graduates in Türkiye lack both technical skills and professional competencies, leaving them underprepared for the labour market. To address these challenges, the study suggests raising admission standards, increasing the number of faculty members, modernising curricula to include more problem-based learning, strengthening university-industry collaboration, standardising assessment methods, and integrating real-world industry challenges into capstone projects.