Unravelling the implications of learning experiences on doctoral degree holders’ employment: empirical insights and avenues for further developments

Abstract

ABSTRACT Doctoral degree holders may struggle to find a job, even though they possess the highest level of education delivered by universities. Whilst learning experiences’ quality has been argued to affect the doctoral degree holders’ ability to get a job, little is known about the relationship between these dimensions. To shed light on this issue, the article investigated secondary data collected from the 2018 national survey on doctoral degree holders in Italy. The respondents’ ability to get a job four to six years after the achievement of their doctoral degree was examined. A multinomial polytomous logistic regression model was designed to obtain evidence of the relationship between the perceived quality of learning experiences and the doctoral degree holders’ ability to get a job. The enrichment of learning experiences with practice-oriented educational activities enhanced the PhDs’ ability to get a job. People who were dissatisfied with their relationship with academics were more likely to be unemployed. Tailored interventions are needed to augment the quality of learning experiences and to increase the PhDs’ ability to get a job. Educational services’ co-production and the involvement of business partners in co-designing educational services might contribute positively to the doctoral degree holders’ ability to get a job.