labour market needs employers needs for and perceptions of doctoral level graduates and competencies...
TRANSCRIPT
This project is funded by the European Union
Labour market needs
Employers’ needs for and perceptions ofdoctoral level graduates and competencies
Dr Robin Mellors-Bourne, CRAC
Study aims
This presentation has been produced with the assistance of the European Union. The content is the sole responsibility of University of Zagreb and can in
no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union.
• Understanding of non-university labour market• Why and how they employ doctoral graduates, now
and in future• Which doctoral graduate competencies are most
important• Perceptions of competencies of current doctoral
graduates• Perceptions of doctoral programmes and employer
engagement with universities
Method
This presentation has been produced with the assistance of the European Union. The content is the sole responsibility of University of Zagreb and can in
no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union.
• Identified and contacted c.300 employers believed to employ or with interest in doctoral graduates
• c.100 verified and invited to respond to online survey• 57 survey responses received• 44 employers used for final analysis• 22 telephone interviews
Employing doctoral graduates
This presentation has been produced with the assistance of the European Union. The content is the sole responsibility of University of Zagreb and can in
no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union.
Currently employ
Do not but would like to employ
Do not and do not expect to employ
n = 44
Business sectors of those currently employing doctoral graduates
This presentation has been produced with the assistance of the European Union. The content is the sole responsibility of University of Zagreb and can in
no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union.
Human health & social workInformation & communicationsProfessional, scientific & technicalPublic administrationManufacturingFinancial and insurance activitiesEducationUtilities & environmental servicesAdministrative and support services
n = 30
Occupational roles
This presentation has been produced with the assistance of the European Union. The content is the sole responsibility of University of Zagreb and can in
no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union.
Research & developmentTechnical or scientificManagementLegalMarketing or salesStrategyLearning & development
Doctoral graduates within the organisations’ workforces
This presentation has been produced with the assistance of the European Union. The content is the sole responsibility of University of Zagreb and can in
no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union.
>50%
31-50%
21-30%
11-20%
1-10%
<1%
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16
Inferences about current and future non-HE market
This presentation has been produced with the assistance of the European Union. The content is the sole responsibility of University of Zagreb and can in
no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union.
• Current total of around 300 doctoral graduates employed in sample
• Expectation of future growth due to expansion of current employers and ‘new’ employers
• Growth will be driven by need for more R&D-based and technical work
Recruitment of doctoral graduates or professional development?
This presentation has been produced with the assistance of the European Union. The content is the sole responsibility of University of Zagreb and can in
no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union.
Only through professional development
Through professional development and recruitment
Only through wider graduate recruitment
No organisation had formal requirement for doctoral qualification as part of recruitment
Most important competencies
This presentation has been produced with the assistance of the European Union. The content is the sole responsibility of University of Zagreb and can in
no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union.
Understanding IPR
Entrepreneurial skills
Career management
Business awareness
Leadership and influence
Innovation
Project management
People management
Effective communication
Problem solving
Intellectual enquiry
Creativity
Time management
Networking
Team working
Flexibility
Proactivity
Responsibility
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Very
Quite
Slightly
Not at all
Perception of competency levels in recent doctoral graduate staff
This presentation has been produced with the assistance of the European Union. The content is the sole responsibility of University of Zagreb and can in
no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union.
Understanding IPR
Project management
Entrepreneurial skills
Leadership and influence
Proactivity
People management
Networking
Innovation
Career management
Time management
Business awareness
Team working
Effective communication
Creativity
Flexibility
Intellectual enquiry
Problem solving
Responsibility
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Very high
Quite high
Quite low
Very low
Comparison: importance v. strength
This presentation has been produced with the assistance of the European Union. The content is the sole responsibility of University of Zagreb and can in
no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union.
Perce ived im portance by em ployers
Strength as perceived by em ployers
Responsibility Responsibility
Proactivity Problem solving
Flexibility Intellectual enquiry
Team w orking Creativity
Netw orking Flexibility
Time management Ef fective communication
Problem solving Team w orking
Intellectual enquiry Business aw areness
Creativity Time management
Ef fective communication Career management
Innovation Innovation
Project management Netw orking
People management Proactivity
Leadership and inf luence People management
Business aw areness Leadership and inf luence
Career management Entrepreneurial skills
Entrepreneurial skills Project management
Understanding IPR Understanding IPR
Perception of doctoral programme effectiveness in skill development
This presentation has been produced with the assistance of the European Union. The content is the sole responsibility of University of Zagreb and can in
no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union.
Commercial/business
Management/planning
People/communications
Technical knowledge
Research skills
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Very good
Quite good
Not very good
Not at all good
Much lower; but all thinkthese shouldbe included
Are doctoral graduates well prepared for (non-HE) job market?
This presentation has been produced with the assistance of the European Union. The content is the sole responsibility of University of Zagreb and can in
no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union.
Very well Partly
Not very well Not at all
n = 44
Little/no expectation of ‘transferability’
Extent of influence on skills developed in doctoral programmes
This presentation has been produced with the assistance of the European Union. The content is the sole responsibility of University of Zagreb and can in
no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union.
Regular/major
Occasional/minor
None at all
2/3 employers wished to engage; 1/3 might want to
Preferred future engagement
This presentation has been produced with the assistance of the European Union. The content is the sole responsibility of University of Zagreb and can in
no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union.
Providing exchange opportunities
Sending speakers to give talks or training
Collaboration in curriculum design
Collaborative research opportunities
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Summary
This presentation has been produced with the assistance of the European Union. The content is the sole responsibility of University of Zagreb and can in
no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union.
• Potential increase in extent of doctoral graduate employment• Few doctoral graduates currently recruited – most ‘grown’• Expectation that doctoral graduates need to work in subject
area of their research – little understanding of transferability• Perception that programmes:
- prepare doctoral graduates only for careers in HE- ineffective in developing competencies for wider job market- should include transferable skills
• Extent of relevant engagement with HE is very limited • Most important competencies identified