Where have University of Helsinki graduates found employment? How do their studies match with the requirements of employers? This is what the University of Helsinki is looking into in this survey.

This autumn, a career monitoring survey will be sent to those who graduated in 2013 with a master’s degree, a Bachelor of Science (Pharmacy) degree or a Bachelor of Arts (Education) degree in kindergarten teacher education, as well as doctoral graduates from 2015. In the coming days, they will receive information regarding the survey by either text message or regular mail.

Responses by graduates with a few years of career experience are extremely valuable to the University of Helsinki.

“We are provided with information on how degrees meet employer requirements, and which skills are in more demand. This kind of information is not available elsewhere. The responses help us improve the quality of our degrees,” says Vice-Rector Sari Lindblom.

In autumn 2017, a significant degree programme reform was carried out at the University of Helsinki. Among its objectives was to advance students’ professional skills and to increase contacts with employers. Career education is nowadays part of all studies, from bachelor’s to doctoral levels. Career planning is also supported on all levels.

Employment and career path information for students

The information gained from the career monitoring survey is also very useful to current students, including those pursuing a doctorate. Of particular interest to students is the employment of graduates and the related options available after graduation. Knowledge of factors that impact finding employment as well as the needs of employers are also of interest.

“Data on the career paths of prior graduates expands perspectives and increases knowledge regarding various employment options and the world of work,” says Eric Carver, who is in charge of career monitoring surveys at Strategic Services for Teaching.

The ‘work revolution’ is currently a hot topic. The only way to understand this change is to monitor, analyse and study it. The career monitoring survey results are carefully analysed and processed by the faculties, degree programmes and doctoral schools. In addition to developing the content of education, the results are used in career guidance and as part of courses that support career planning.

The Töissa.fi service, founded on career monitoring survey responses, is a repository of information concerning the professional positions of graduates from universities and universities of applied sciences. The service has some 130,000 users annually.

“The aim is to develop education with a contemporary and future-oriented outlook. Without information, such planning is impossible. Indeed, I hope that as many graduates as possible respond to the career monitoring survey, giving their contribution to the development of education,” says Vice-Rector Lindblom.

The survey will be launched on the 2nd of October 2018. Instructions for responding will be sent by text message or mail. Responses should be submitted preferably in electronic form.