Graduates’ career monitoring survey maps working life needs and affects the funding of universities

The survey is sent to persons who graduated as Masters of Science in Technology and Architecture and to Masters, Licentiates of Medicine and Bachelors of Education (early childhood education teacher) who graduated from Tampere University in 2019. A career monitoring survey will also be sent to persons who completed their doctoral degree in 2021. 

The surveys will be carried out by the Aarresaari Career Services Network of Finnish Universities.

Universities have monitored the employment and early careers of graduates with the universities’ joint surveys for almost 20 years. The joint survey provides a broad picture of the labour market of higher education graduates and the competences required in working life. The survey data are commensurate regardless of the university or field of study, meaning they highlight differences between educational fields. Career monitoring data are utilised in a wide range of ways in teaching, academic guidance and counselling and the planning and development of education. 

Survey yields data on the labour market 

In 2023, the results of Tampere University’s career monitoring survey showed that the masters’ survey respondents had found employment quite well. Permanent full-time employment had been found by 78% of the graduates. Sixty per cents of doctors reported that they had a permanent full-time job, which was slightly more than in the previous years. 

“Large enterprises employ master’s graduates the most, but the variation between sectors is big. Municipalities are the main employer in the fields of education, health and welfare services while PhDs most often find employment at a university,” says Senior Specialist Hanna-Leena Hietaranta-Luoma who is responsible for organising career surveys at Tampere University.

Survey participation also affects universities’ funding 

The masters’ career survey is tied to the universities’ funding model determined by the Ministry of Education and Culture, which means that each response also has a direct impact on the funding the university receives. The average value of one response is approximately €5,000, meaning that the career survey-based funding of Tampere University will be more than €5,500,000 in 2025. 

“Each response provides the University with more information about the working life of our graduates and, at the same time, money, which we can use to develop education to better serve the needs of the job market,” Hietaranta-Luoma points out. 

Further information on Tampere University’s career monitoring surveys: 

Tampere University career monitoring

urapalvelut.tau [at] tuni.fi (urapalvelut[dot]tau[at]tuni[dot]fi) 

Further information on the surveys: 
Senior Specialist 
Hanna-Leena Hietaranta-Luoma 
hanna-leena.hietaranta-luoma [at] tuni.fi (hanna-leena[dot]hietaranta-luoma[at]tuni[dot]fi)
Services for Educational Leadership