Sectoral heterogeneity in patterns of educational mismatch in the Spanish tourism sectors: a gender comparison

The economic effects of educational mismatch include its negative impact on economic growth, which is due to the inefficient allocation of resources it generates. The main causes of this phenomenon need to be determined to correctly implement policies to avoid such mismatches. This paper investigated the determinants of educational mismatch from a gender perspective by analysing its sectoral heterogeneity among the four key productive branches within the tourism sector. We employed a multinomial logit model using data from the 2018 Spanish Wage Structure Survey. The results highlight the higher probability of male overeducation in the hospitality industry and the predominance of female overeducation in the other services analysed. Likewise, there was a lower probability of male undereducation in the transport and other complementary services sectors. As a result of these findings, we propose various corrective measures to redirect specific training efforts for each of these groups, thus promoting gender equality.