Job Satisfaction and Career Paths of Graduates from Educational Science and Psychology- A Cross-Sectional Study

Author(s):

Maximilian Sailer(presenting / submitting)Kimmo Kontio(presenting)

Conference:

ECER 2012

Network:

22. Research in Higher Education

Format:

Paper

Session Information

22 SES 04 B, Employability and Transition to Work of Higher Education Graduates

Parallel Paper Session

Time:

2012-09-19

09:00-10:30

Room:

FFL - Aula 2

Chair:

Gutiérrez-Esteban Prudencia

Contribution

In general the goal of higher education policies in Europe is to increase participation in Higher education (Leuze 2010, 100). Fostering the expansion of Higher Education leads unavoidable to the question how graduates manage the transition from Higher Education to work. There are many empirical studies that have addressed the transition from Higher education to work on a cross-national level. As examples one can mention the studies CHEERS (Careers after Higher Education: a European Research Study) and REFLEX (The Flexible Professional in the Knowledge Society New Demands on Higher Education in Europe). These comparative studies delivered empirical insights on individual study paths, the transition process from higher education to employment, the overall job satisfaction, and also the retrospective view on Higher education (Teichler 2002). Nonetheless these cross-national comparisons lack on providing details on specific graduates respectively occupational groups. In our study which was conducted in 2011 we intended to focus on graduates from Oulu University, Finland who were enrolled in the Faculty of Educational Science and Psychology. The goal is it to generate empirical data on a particular occupational group with multiple career opportunities. On a national level the amount of studies is rather small dealing with career paths of educationalists and psychologists. In Germany for example the survey “Diplom-Pädagogen in Deutschland” from 2001 was one of the first systematic attempts to disclose the situation for educationalists in the job market (Krüger & Rauschenbach 2003). In Northern Europe, especially Finland, hardly any empirical studies are dealing with the experiences of educationalists and psychologists entering the job market and their individual career paths. This paper presents the result of an alumni survey at the University of Oulu, Finland in order to have more empirical knowledge about the transition processes of graduates. Basic research questions address the retrospective view on study motives, factors which enhanced the job entry and specific factors on job satisfaction. Apparently the professional satisfaction of university graduates is influenced by a number of personal and situational factors (Cornelißen 2008). The Other research questions deal with conducive and unconducive factors of the career entry also addressing obstacles. There are many career opportunities for Educationalists and Psychologists in educational, related or even non-educational fields so therefore we focused on individual career paths of this occupational group. For the educational research it is very valuable to know how graduates integrate into the job market. Not only to have insights about the wide variety of entered professional fields and job specialization processes, but also to portray individual career paths in respect to specific subjective decisions. These types of studies also provide feedback to the Universities by revealing the relative importance of the scientific education to the individual career. The results of the Oulu-Survey will be compared with the findings of the German and European Surveys. This research may contribute to the field of Higher Education and would like to stress the educational necessity of analysing career paths quantitatively in order to initiate debates about the role of universities in career development.

Method

This survey was developed at the University of Augsburg, Germany in cooperation with the University of Oulu, Finland. The empirical instrument is an cross-sectional online-survey. The items were developed in close connection to “Diplom-Pädagogen” Survey and the European Surveys CHEERS and REFLEX in order to allow the comparability of the results. It is a cross-sectional study which addresses graduates from 1980 up to 2011 (n=123). All of the questions have been translated to the finish language assuring a maximum degree of understanding for the participants. Altogether the survey contains 120 items including three scales (study motives, job entry and job satisfaction). The internal consistency or reliability for the three scales was acceptable (Cronbach Alpha > 0.75). A Pretest was conducted and had the result that five questions were eliminated from the survey. The sample was drawn out of the alumni network of educational scientists and psychologists at the University of Oulu. The data of the survey was analysed with SPSS. Descriptive and inferential statistical methods were used.

Expected Outcomes

Some of the study motives highly correlate with each other. The motive “working with people” is highly connected to the motive “giftedness for the study field” (r[119]= .65, p<0,01). The motive “The opportunity to develop” had on a 10point scale a mean average of 8.24 agreement (SD= 2.2). Decision factors for their career paths were more idealistic than materialistic. A graduate wrote averagely 6 applications in order to manage the job entry (SD=22). This is comparable with the CHEERS Graduate Survey. The most important factors which enhanced the job entry were “the specialization in the study field” (M=7.25, SD=3.3) and “Network / Relationships” (M=6.34, SD=3.9). Most important factors for the current occupation are “work experience” (M=9.6, SD=2.0) and “expert knowledge due to university education” (M=7.91, SD=2.6). Most of the graduates are employed by the community. Most of the participants at the moment are highly satisfied with their occupational situation. Especially with the working environment including the “team” as well as with the “fulfilling job task”. Overall the participants state the importance of ongoing training / further education on-the-job or off-the-job in addition to their university studies. Results from a regression analysis will be presented at the conference.

References

Krüger, H.-H. & Rauschenbach, T. (2004). PädagogInnen in Studium und Beruf – eine einleitende Skizze. In: H.-H. Krüger & T. Rauschenbach (Hrsg.), Pädagogen in Studium und Beruf – Empirische Bilanzen und Zukunftsperspektiven (S. 9–30). Wiesbaden: VS Verlag. Krüger, H.-H. & Züchner, I. (2002). Karriere ohne Muster? Berufsverläufe von Diplom- und Magister- Pädagoginnen. In H.-U. Otto, T. Rauschenbach, P. Vogel (Hrsg.), Erziehungswissenschaft: Arbeitsmarkt und Beruf (S. 75–94). Opladen: Leske + Budrich. Leuze, K. (2010). Smooth Path or Long and Winding Road? How Institutions Shape the Transition from Higher Education to Work. Opladen; Farmington Hills/Mich.: Budrich UniPress Rauschenbach, T. & Züchner, I. (2004). Studium und Arbeitsmarkt der Haupftfachstudierenden. In: R. Tippelt, T. Rauschenbach & H. Weishaupt (Hrsg.), Datenreport Erzie-hungswissenschaft 2004 (S. 39–54). Wiesbaden: VS Verlag/GWS Fachverlage. Rauschenbach, T. (2002). Diplom-PädagogInnen – Gewinner oder Verlierer auf dem Ar-beitsmarkt? In: H.-U. Otto, T. Rauschenbach & P. Vogel (Hrsg.), Erziehungswissenschaft: Arbeitsmarkt und Beruf (S. 31–42). Opladen: Leske + Budrich. Teichler, U. (2002). Diversification of Higher Education Institutions and the Profile of the Individual Institution. Higher Education Management and Policy, 14, pp. 177-188. Teichler, U. (2002). Graduate Employment and Work in Europe: Diverse Situations and Common Perceptions. Tertiary Education and Management, 8, pp. 199- 216. Teichler, U. (2007). Does Higher Education Matter? Lessons from a Comparative Graduate Survey. European Journal of Education, 42, pp. 11-34. Teichler, U. (2007). Higher Education Systems. Conceptual Frameworks, Comparative Perspectives. Rotterdam: Sense-Publishers

Author Information

Maximilian Sailer (presenting / submitting)

LMU Munich

Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences

Munich

Kimmo Kontio (presenting)

University of Oulu

Faculty of Education

Oulu

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