95% of doctoral degree holders were in employment prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, 56% had a permanent contract, 96% had graduate-level job duties and responsibilities and 84% were earning a gross monthly salary of over 2,000
These are the main conclusions drawn from the publication of the 2020 report on the employment outcomes of PhD graduates from Catalan universities, which is based on 1,945 survey interviews (a response rate of 46%) carried out prior to the COVID-19 pandemic of PhD holders who graduated from Catalan universities in the 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 academic years. There was an improvement in the majority of employment indicators compared to previous surveys, which were at levels close to those just prior to the crisis in 2010.
- The report shows that the capacity of industry and enterprise to absorb talent has increased in recent years, with the majority of those surveyed (60%) working in industry and enterprise, compared to 25% employed in higher education institutions and 15% in research centres and institutions.
- Job stability continues to grow steadily, with 56% of those surveyed having a permanent contract, compared to 46% in the 2014 survey. People working in industry and enterprise mostly had permanent contracts (72%), whereas PhD holders at HEIs and research centres held more temporary positions (28% and 41%, respectively).
- On the other hand, only 33% of those working in industry and enterprise had PhD-level job duties and responsibilities, compared to a much higher percentage of those who were either working in an HEI (82%) or research centre or institution (74%), where the majority had research-related duties and responsibilities.
- Overall job satisfaction was good, regardless of the place of work (HEI, research centre or industry/enterprise). Nonetheless, satisfaction with the connection between doctoral training and the job (education-job skills match) was lower for those working in industry and enterprise.
- In terms of the level of skills acquisition, the report shows that "traditional" skills and competences like autonomy at work, the ability to generate new knowledge and present research findings are the ones best achieved by PhD holders, whereas the level of achievement with what are considered to be "more modern" skills (drawing up and publishing of scientific articles, strategies for the analysis of data and findings, understanding of the importance and potential impact of research, etc.) was lower.
The 2020 survey is the fifth in the series of survey studies of the employment outcomes of PhD graduates from Catalan universities and other HEIs and was carried out in cooperation with the social councils of the public and private universities and HEIs in Catalonia.
The purpose of the survey is to establish and understand the employment outcomes of PhD graduates three to four years after completing their doctoral studies and other aspects connected with their training. It should be noted however that the findings refer to the employment situation in the first quarter of 2020, prior to the COVID-19 crisis.