Why Mauritius Students Pick the Wrong Degree, and How to Fix It

A growing number of young Mauritians are entering the workforce with qualifications that do not match the jobs available, and career development consultant Kesho Gooriah believes the root cause is a fundamental mistake made long before graduation day.

According to Gooriah, students in Mauritius routinely select their academic programmes based on family pressure, social prestige or simple familiarity with a subject, without first asking a more important question: what kind of career do I actually want, and what does that career require?

"Too often, students choose their studies before considering their careers," Gooriah told Le Defi Media. The result, she argues, is a mismatch that costs young people years of effort and can leave them feeling stuck in fields that were never right for them.

This is not a minor issue in Mauritius. The country has invested heavily in expanding access to higher education over the past two decades, with institutions such as the University of Mauritius, the Mauritius Institute of Education and a growing number of private colleges offering a wide range of degree programmes. Yet graduate unemployment and underemployment remain persistent concerns, with many qualified young adults taking jobs well below their qualification level or in sectors unrelated to what they studied.

Gooriah's position is that career guidance needs to happen earlier, ideally before a student commits to a study pathway at the Higher School Certificate level, which in Mauritius is typically taken at around age 17 or 18 and largely determines university entry options. By the time a student is choosing a university programme, the decision may already be shaped, or constrained, by earlier choices made without enough information.

Career development as a professional service remains relatively niche in Mauritius. Many students rely on guidance from parents, teachers or peers, sources that may not have up-to-date knowledge of the labour market. Gooriah's work focuses on helping individuals understand their own strengths, interests and values, and then mapping those onto realistic career paths before choosing how and where to study.

She also points to the importance of understanding the difference between a qualification and a career. A degree in law, for example, does not automatically mean a career as a lawyer. It can lead to roles in compliance, human resources, public administration or business, but only if the graduate has thought ahead and built the right experience alongside their studies.

What this means for Mauritian families and students is that the conversation about careers should start much earlier than it typically does. Choosing a subject because it sounds impressive, because a parent studied it, or because entry requirements are met is not the same as choosing a path with intention. Gooriah's message is that taking time to explore career options first, and then working backwards to identify the studies that support those options, leads to better outcomes for individuals and, ultimately, for the Mauritian economy.

Source: Le Defi Media