What comes after a PhD?
Findings from the DocEnhance survey of doctorate holders on their employment situation, skills match, and the value of the doctorate
Are doctorates satisfied with their doctorate programme? How easily do doctorate holders find employment after graduation – inside and outside academia?
This report presents a career-tracking survey of recent PhD graduates from nine universities across Europe, undertaken as part of the DocEnhance project. Within the project, the results are intended to inform the transferable skills curriculum under development, but also to support higher education institutions in leading their own career-tracking survey.
With more PhD students graduating every year and an increasing attractivity in careers outside academia, European universities and funding bodies are intent on evaluating and monitoring the outcome of doctorate holders on the labour market.
The findings from the DocEnhance career-tracking survey provide an overview of the careers pursued by PhD graduates after their studies, and the structure of doctoral training, including transferable skills. The report also underlines PhD holders’ motivations for undertaking a doctorate programme, and their satisfaction with their training and subsequent careers.
The report finally introduces recommendations to institutions in charge of doctoral training, namely on the inclusion of transferable skills.