The Link Between a Diploma and Life Is Weakening

They studied for four years, sometimes five. A preparatory year, a master’s degree, and examinations extended it further. Their family supported them, they attended classes and completed internships, and finally earned a diploma. Then came the job listings: “At least two years’ experience.” “Three years’ experience.” Graduates were expected to be experienced before starting work. Eventually came the familiar question: “Why did I study for all those years?”

We hear this from people working outside their field, unable to make ends meet in their profession, or unable to see a future after years of study, as well as those without work. I believe the issue is the weakening link between a diploma and life in some fields, rather than the diploma itself losing value.

The examination after graduation

Access to higher education in Türkiye has expanded substantially over twenty years, and graduate numbers have risen. This is an important social achievement. But an education system’s success cannot be measured only by how many it graduates. The real test begins after the ceremony: does what the young person learned have an economic counterpart? Do employers’ required skills match those taught? Can graduates see a step forward in their own field?

Strengthening the alignment between education and the labor market repeatedly features in OECD assessments of Türkiye. Turkish Statistical Institute higher education employment indicators also show substantial differences between disciplines in registered employment and time to a first job. “Attend university and your life is guaranteed” is no longer realistic on its own. But concluding “University is unnecessary” would be equally wrong.

We should discuss what the years at university give a young person. Someone focused only on passing examinations can leave with a document but little professional confidence. If an internship consists of photocopying, a lack of experience at graduation is inevitable.

Employers share responsibility. It is easy to demand experience in every advertisement and then complain, “We cannot find trained staff.” Who will give young people that experience and their first job? What does a business seeking only ready-made employees contribute to the country’s skilled workforce?

University-business relations need to go beyond agreements signed at the end of a term. Students should join real projects in their second and third years, businesses should provide feedback on course content, and universities should track graduate employment and update programs accordingly.

Success cannot mean the same thing for everyone

Not every young person needs a desk job. Türkiye needs good technicians, craftspeople, maintenance specialists, welders, electricians, and health technicians. Treating vocational education as a second-class route for those unable to enter university harms both young people and the economy.

Today’s young people ask more than the salary. “What will I learn here?” “Where will I be in two years?” “What kind of life will this job help me build?” Dismissing these questions as entitlement prevents us from understanding them.

The solution is rebuilding the connection between education, skills, and employment rather than distributing more diplomas. Universities should prepare students for life after graduation, businesses accept responsibility for training, public policy ease entry into a first job, and young people see a diploma as a starting point. Otherwise, we lose more than four years of education: families’ effort, public investment, and, above all, young people’s confidence in their futures.