MURG 28 March, 2012Researcher employability and impact Dr Janet Metcalfe, Vitae janet.metcalfe@vitae.ac.uk

What do UK researchers do?

• Vitae vision and aims• Career intentions• Destinations • Impact• Researcher journeys• Mobility• Researchers’ knowledge, attributes and

expertise

Vitae vision and aims“For the UK to be world-class in supporting the personal,

professional and career development of researchers”Build human capital by influencing the development and implementation of effective policy relating to researcher development

Enhance higher education provision to train and develop researchers

Empower researchers to make an impact in their careers

Evidence the impact of professional andcareer development support for researchers

Understanding the employability and impact of researchers

What do researchers do? – What do researchers want to do?– First destinations by subject– Career profiles and video narratives– Destinations and impact three years on– Career paths of doctoral graduates

Understanding employers’ needs– targeting the postgraduate and researcher

market– researchers’ skills and competencies– Employers’ views of researchers’ skills

Career motivationsWhat do researchers want to do?

Only 33% have definite ideas about their careers (even in last year of doctorate); 20% little idea

Career intentions dominated by interest in field and desire to apply knowledge and skills

Job availability, salary or prospects secondary factors

• Definite idea• Considering

several options• Only vague idea• No idea

Anticipated career

Impact

What do researchers do? Doctoral graduate destinations and impact three years on2010

WDRD? Destinations and impact three years on

Employability– Employment circumstances (2% unemployed)– Employment sector and occupation– Status (contract/mode of work)– Median annual salary (£34k D; £25k B)– Value of the doctorate (82% requirement or important)– Satisfaction with career to date (93%)

Impact of the doctorate – Use of knowledge, skills and experience (research skills 82%; generic skills (91%)– Make a difference in the workplace / innovation (94%)– Access to, and progress, towards long term career aspirations (87%)– Enhance social and intellectual capabilities and quality of life (89%)

Unique doctoral occupations (86%)

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

HE research occupations

Research (not in HE sector)

Teaching and lecturing in HE

Other teaching occupations

Other common doctoral occupations

Other occupations

Doctoral graduates Masters graduates First degree 1st/2:1

Other common doctoral occupations include:Health professionals (18%); Functional and production managers and senior officials (25%); Engineering professionals (14%); ICT professionals (10%); Business, finance and statistical professional roles (15%)

Importance of doctorate, skills and competencies for current employment

DOCTORAL QUALIFICATION

All

HE research

Other research

HE teaching and lecturing

Other teaching

Common doctoral occupations

Other occupations

SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES

All

HE research

Other research

HE teaching and lecturing

Other teaching

Common doctoral occupations

Other occupations

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Formal qualification Important Not very important but helped Not important

Conduct research

Interpret research data

Critically evaluate research findings

Use the research skills developedDraw on detailed research degree

knowledgeUse general disciplinary knowledge

Use the generic skills developed

Work autonomously

Work as part of a team

Work under close supervision

Have responsibility for others

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Most of the time Some of the time Occasionally Not at all

Use of knowledge, skills andexperience

In the workplace

Innovative in the workplace

Make a difference in the workplace

In careers

Access short-term job opportunities

progress to long term aims

In wider lifeEnhance social and intellectual capabil-

ities beyond workEnhance the quality of life generally

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Most of the time Some of the time Occasionally Not at all

Benefits and wider impact of doctoral experience in work and lives

Mobility What do researchers do? Career pathways of doctoral graduates 2011

Identified range of career paths

Time in and out of the labour market

Movements between clusters

Examples of roles and careers

Progression and promotion

Overall cluster movement

HE research cluster

19% decrease over time from largest cluster (23%) to third largest (18%)Most dynamic cluster:– 40% leave, mainly to teaching & lecturing in HE – 26% move in, mainly from other occupations or wider research

57% stayed in cluster throughout (62% in same job)

Key career pathways

Researchers: Careers section: www.vitae.ac.uk/lmi

Online labour market information

Framework of the knowledge, behaviour and attributes of successful researchersEnables self-assessment of strengths and areas for further developmentCommon language for researchers capabilities

Vitae Researcher Development Framework

Employability lens on the RDF

Employers’ expectation of researchers’ performance (high and very high)

Group 1 Group 2 Group 3 Group 4

Data analysis 100% 100% 91% 91%

Problem Solving

100% 88% 89% 83%

Drive and Motivation

100% 84% 59% 74%

Project Management

83% 36% 70% 39%

Interpersonal Skills

67% 56% 39% 26%

Leadership 67% 28% 24% 17%

Commercial awareness

50% 20% 28% 22%

Overall 81% 59% 57% 50%

Employer categoriesGroup 1: actively target doctorates

Group 2: strong interest

Group 3: some interest, occasionally recruit

Group 4: no interest

Recruiting researchers, 2009, 104 employers

Useful links

Vitae: www.vitae.ac.ukWhat do researchers do? www.vitae.ac.uk/wdrd Labour market information www.vitae.ac.uk/lmiImpact and evaluation www.vitae.ac.uk/impact Careers advice for researchers www.vitae.ac.uk/careersVitae employers www.vitae.ac.uk/employersResearcher Development Framework www.vitae.ac.uk/rdf

janet.metcalfe@vitae.ac.uk