Aalto University graduates feel well prepared for working life

The transition of Aalto graduates into working life and their experiences of studies and careers are monitored annually through the career monitoring survey. The responses to the career monitoring survey provide important information about the working life of graduates, both for current students and for young people considering their future studies. In addition, the information collected in the survey is used to develop the University's teaching and services.

The importance of the career monitoring survey is reflected in the fact that the results of the Master's degree career monitoring survey are part of the Ministry of Education and Culture's funding model for universities and therefore directly affect the basic funding that universities receive. The career monitoring survey is carried out annually in all Finnish universities. The next national career monitoring survey will start on 1 October and will be sent to Master's graduates of 2019 and doctoral graduates of 2021.

You need to be able to talk about your skills when applying for a job

42% of Aalto Master's graduates of 2018 responded to a career monitoring survey in autumn 2023. Master's graduates are well employed after graduation, with 94% either employed or self-employed at the time of response. Only 2% responded that they were unemployed at the time of the survey. The private sector is the largest employer of Aalto graduates. Overall, 77% of respondents worked in companies, including both large and small and medium-sized enterprises. Seven percent of respondents worked in universities and three percent in state organizations. Five percent of respondents were self-employed. 88% of the Masters respondents were satisfied with their career so far.

Masters graduates who have moved into the working life are satisfied with their studies and feel that their skills are also valued by employers. 80% of respondents felt that their studies prepared them well for the working life. Up to 92% would be willing to recommend their degree to others and 94% of respondents felt that their employers valued their degree.

Master's graduates were also asked about the factors that they felt had most affected their employment after graduation. The most important factor was the ability to communicate their skills to others. Other important factors cited by respondents were work experience, the subject combination of the degree and contacts and networks.

When asked for tips for current students on skills required for future employment, graduates highlighted skills such as communication and presentation skills including English language skills, thinking skills including creativity and problem solving, analytical and critical thinking. In terms of technical skills, examples of skills mentioned included data analytics, artificial intelligence and programming.

Doctoral graduates typically work in expert and specialist positions

40% of Aalto doctoral graduates of 2021 responded to a career monitoring survey in autumn 2023. Compared to Master's graduates, doctoral graduates were more likely to find employment outside the corporate world. Of the respondents, 36% were employed in a company and a third in a university. A fifth of respondents worked in the public sector and only 1.2% were self-employed.

Almost three out of four doctoral graduates worked in a professional role. More than half worked in research and a quarter in design and development. One in seven respondents worked in management and supervisory positions.

Almost 70% of respondents said that their jobs had become more challenging with their degree and three out of four said that their doctorate had given them more meaningful work. Respondents felt that they could use what they had learnt during their doctorate in their work and that the level of demand was well aligned with a doctorate. They listed analytical, systematic thinking and problem-solving skills as the most important qualities in their current job. Respondents felt that they had been able to develop these skills during their doctoral studies. Self-direction and the ability to learn and use new information were also important for their current job.

20 years of career monitoring

The career monitoring survey is a research model developed by the Aarresaari network (Career Services Network of Finnish Universities) to survey the careers of graduates (Master's or doctoral) after graduation nationwide. The career monitoring survey for Master's degree graduates has been conducted for 20 years and some 95,000 graduates have already responded to the survey. The first doctoral graduate career monitoring survey was conducted in 2007.  The results of the career monitoring survey are published centrally on the Finnish National Agency for Education's statistical service Vipunen.