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, graduates, health professionals, health professions, 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 social and health care professionals graduated from polytechnics and universities. Unlike in the previous surveys, the responses from polytechnic and university graduates have been merged into a single dataset. 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 degree programme, and the number of credits. 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. The respondents estimated the extent to which various skills and abilities they had acquired during their studies (e.g. independent initiative, computer skills, responsibility and conception of society) and different characteristics of their training (e.g. practice-oriented education, interdisciplinary nature of studies) support their transition to and succeeding in working life.

Next, the respondents' current employment situation was surveyed. The respondents were asked whether they had been unemployed or otherwise outside the labour market since graduating. 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, and the number of employees in their workplace. They were also presented with a set of attitudinal statements on work and entrepreneurship. 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 and their future status in the labour market compared with other applicants holding other degrees. 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".

Background variables included the respondent's gender, year of birth, marital status, number of children aged under 18, and municipality of residence at the age of 15 and at present.