Career monitoring survey 2021 is ongoing: What were the key lessons you learned at the university to be applied in working life?
Career monitoring for autumn 2021 started on 4 October 2021. This year the survey’s target group consists of alumni who completed a higher university degree, a Bachelor of Arts in Education, a Licentiate of Medicine degree or a Licentiate of Dentistry degree in 2016 and those who completed a doctoral degree in 2018. The alumni who are in the survey’s target group will be contacted directly.
The graduates will be contacted by text message or letter in October–November. The purpose of career monitoring is to collect information on the first years following graduation. The participating alumni are requested to rate their satisfaction with their academic degree and career to date as well as describe the factors that have influenced their employment. The survey will remain open until 13 December 2021, and the results will be published in 2022.
Work is changing – what working life skills are needed now?
“Rapidly changing working life challenges employees to develop their competencies and change the way they work. It is important for the university to understand what competencies are required in working life and to what extent university education has developed these competencies,” says Project Manager Outi Tolonen from the University of Oulu. “We want to give graduates the best chance of fulfilling the expectations of working life and to be involved in helping them maintain their skills and expertise also in later career stages. University alumni are in an ideal position to express an opinion on how university education has prepared them for working life and in what direction our education should be developed.”
The career monitoring data provides useful information to support curriculum development and teaching. In addition, the results of career monitoring surveys for master’s degree holders influence the funding of universities. The feedback is used in the development of the content of education as well as career counselling. Providing current students with information and examples related to career opportunities and the realities of working life improves their preparedness for working life.
For the survey participants, thinking about their career and the lessons they learned at the university helps them recognise their skills in working life and monitor the placement of other graduates in their field. Responding to the career monitoring survey is an opportunity to gain a new perspective on own degree and career. Read more in our interview with Tarja Männistö, an alumnus who holds an MSc in Industrial Engineering and Management.
- University of Oulu graduates are well employed, read more about the results of 2020 career monitoring survey.
- The results of past career monitoring surveys are available on the Vipunen Education Statistics service.
- Career monitoring information is also collected for the Töissä.fi service, which is used by audiences such as matriculation examination candidates and career counsellors as they plan future studies and counselling activities.