Identifying the Gender Differences in Response to Graduate Unemployment: Evidence from Sri Lanka

Abstract

Employment opportunities are available for graduates from certain disciplines, while for a considerable proportion of the graduates, finding employment has become a problem. Therefore, enhancing the employability of graduates is a challenge faced by the university system of Sri Lanka. This research contains the findings based on economic, social and geographical attributes for gender difference in response to graduate unemployment. A questionnaire was distributed among the graduates of selected two faculties of General Sir John Kotelawala Defense University, Ratmalana. The study aimed to identify the impact of gender on graduate unemployment, causes for the gender differences, and the impact of geographical, social and economic factors in response to each gender. Primary data was collected through the questionnaire. Chi square test was used to determine the individual impact of independent variables towards the dependent variable, and binary logistic regression has been used to determine the collective impact of independent variables towards the dependent variable. The findings suggest that age, father’s education, satisfaction with higher education/ training, job preference, job satisfaction and impact of gender on finding a job (as per the thoughts) have a significant relationship with employability status of the male graduates. Furthermore, academic qualifications, monthly income of families, satisfaction with higher education and the training, job satisfaction and impact of gender of the female graduates (as per their experiences) have a significant relationship with employability status of the female graduates.