Career monitoring survey: Laurea graduates are satisfied with their careers

The third national career monitoring survey among graduates of universities of applied sciences was carried out in autumn 2020. A total of 8,870 people who graduated in 2015 across Finland responded to the career monitoring survey. On a national level, those who completed a Bachelor’s degree at a university of applied sciences five years ago are satisfied with the degree they completed (83%) and their careers to date (87%).

"The degree in many ways increased my capabilities to advance in my career and apply for a new job. It also provided me with a good basis for further studies.” (Bachelor of Business Administration graduated from Laurea)

Of students graduated from Laurea, 664 people responded to the survey and Laurea's response rate was slightly higher than the national average. Laurea graduates are satisfied with their careers five years after graduation. This was the case for 83% of all respondents.

The employment situation of Laurea graduates is good. Five years after graduation, 73% are employed full-time and 8% are employed full-time on a fixed-term basis. 4% of the respondents were self-employed and only 2% were unemployed.

Three out of four Laurea graduates also work in a field corresponding to their degree.

The career monitoring survey conducted in autumn 2020 examined the impact of a Master's degree from a university of applied sciences on the respondent's career in more detail than previously. Both national and Laurea's results indicate that those who have completed a Master's degree at a university of applied sciences feel that the degree has increased their professional self-confidence. This was the case for 80% of Laurea students who responded to the survey.

The completion of a Master's degree at a university of applied sciences has also improved the position of respondents in the labour market (79% of respondents). A Master's degree has also helped respondents to progress in their careers as experts (70%).

- It is particularly delightful to see in the results that those who have completed a Master's degree at Laurea feel that they can make good use of the competence gained in their studies in their current work, says Vice President Katri Ojasalo on the results of the career monitoring survey.
- Laurea's Master's degree programmes are unique in their content and strive to respond to current competence needs in working life in an agile way. The results confirm that this has been achieved.