Authors

• Korhonen, Kristiina (University of Jyväskylä. Institute for Educational Research)
• Mäkinen, Raimo (University of Jyväskylä. Institute for Educational Research)
• Valkonen, Sakari (University of Jyväskylä. Institute for Educational Research)

Keywords

ability, education, employment, engineers, graduates, higher education institutions, job characteristics, job description, occupational life, qualifications, transition from school to work

Abstract

The survey series charts the employment situation of polytechnic and university graduates of various disciplines after graduation. In this survey, the respondents were Bachelors of Engineering graduated from polytechnics, i.e. engineers. The main themes included studies, current employment situation and estimates of future employment prospects.

First, the respondents were asked to give basic information about their degree, including the year when they began to study, their polytechnic, the number of credits, and whether they had graduated on schedule. The respondents' basic and vocational education was queried, as well as their work experience before beginning studies. In addition, their practical training, working and other connections to the labour market during the studies were canvassed, as well as whether they had ever considered dropping out of polytechnic and for what reason. The respondents estimated their language skills and the extent to which various skills and abilities they had acquired during their studies (e.g. independent initiative, computer skills, communication skills, ability to think theoretically) and different characteristics of polytechnic studies (e.g. the teachers' labour market contacts, interdisciplinary nature of studies) support their transition to and succeeding in working life.

Next, the respondents' current employment situation was surveyed. Their economic activity was also examined, and those who were employed at the time of the survey were asked about their employer, industry of employment, job title, gross income, status in their workplace, number of employees in their workplace, and the estimated stability of their job. They were also presented with a set of attitudinal statements on their work, as well as asked to give reasons for involving in entrepreneurship if they were self-employed. Those who were studying were asked what they studied. In addition, the respondents estimated what their employment situation, status and gross income would be after five years. They also estimated their future employment opportunities in various geographical regions, their future status in the labour market compared with other applicants holding other degrees, and whether they were going to study more in the future in order to pursue another degree. Finally, the respondents were presented with a set of statements on career and life, such as "I want my job to be challenging" and "My objective is to find a stable job". In addition, the respondents had a chance to freely tell about their degree and education as the basis for their future career.

Background variables included the respondent's gender, year of birth, marital status, and number of children aged under 18.