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Last winter, Aarresaari, a career services network of Finnish universities, conducted a survey on how 2012 master's graduates and 2014 doctoral graduates were employed.  Responses were received from a total of 5 400 people, of whom 532 were Aalto University graduates.

Master’s graduates find their degrees are valued by employers

Master's degree graduates have advanced in various careers over the last five years. Most of them have found good employment.

Of those who completed their Master's degree at Aalto University five years ago, 90% were satisfied with their degree in terms of career.  87% agreed that the skills and knowledge they learned could be applied well in their current job and 92% would recommend their degree to others. Almost 96% of Master's graduates from Aalto University agreed with the statement ‘The degree is valued by employers’.

Based on the results, Aalto University graduates saw work experience and the ability to communicate own skills as the most important factors in finding employment. Respondents identified the ability to learn and absorb new things, problem-solving, self-direction and thinking analytically and systematically as the most important skills needed at work and developed at university.

Half of the doctoral graduates work for companies

Almost half of the 2014 doctoral graduates were employed at a private or state-owned corporation, less than a third at a university and less than a tenth worked as an entrepreneur or freelancer. 90% of the respondents agreed that the skills and knowledge they learned could be applied well in their current job. 85% of them were satisfied with their degree in terms of career.

Career monitoring survey is conducted at all universities

The career monitoring survey is a research model that is developed by the Aarresaari network, a career services network of Finnish universities, and used for nationwide career monitoring of people with a higher education (Master's or doctoral degree) after graduation.

Integration into working life is evaluated based on the employment situation, the quality of employment and the match between jobs and qualifications.
 

The next career monitoring survey will be carried out in autumn 2018. All 2013 master graduates and 2015 doctoral graduates are asked to participate in the survey.