The Global Skills Gap in the 21st Century

This report will examine the relationship between graduate skills and employer expectations in today’s ever-changing labour market. It examines key findings from the QS Global Employer Survey 2018 and the QS Applicant Survey 2018, exploring the link between employer and applicant expectations and highlighting key areas of alignment and misalignment.

Our data and analysis can be used by universities to empower their students in future interactions with employers worldwide. The report includes:

  • Global overview of core skills
  • Importance versus satisfaction of core skills
  • Regional breakdown of core skills
  • Impact of company size and staff seniority on skills
  • Impact of recruitment priorities

More QS Insights

Destination: US and Canada
What are the motivations and preferences of international students who want to study in the US and Canada? We’ve analyzed the perspectives of over 41,000 students interested in the US...
Read more
Destination: UK front page image
Destination: UK – report
What are the motivations and preferences of international students who want to study in the UK? We’ve analysed the perspectives of over 68,000 respondents to the QS International Student Survey...
Read more
"Universities, students and the Generative AI imperative" report front cover.
Universities, students and the Generative AI imperative
Since the explosion of Generative AI in early 2023, the genie is truly out of the bottle and there is no turning back. But what do academics and international students...
Read more
International Graduate Outcomes 2024
With data from more than 10,000 international students who graduated from 37 UK universities over the past six years, and valuable insights from British Council and NISAU alumni, the International...
Read more

Sign up for industry insights

Receive the latest insights, expertise and commentary on the topics which matter most in higher education, straight to your inbox.

Sign up