MURG 28 March, 2012 Researcher employability and impact Dr Janet Metcalfe, Vitae

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 and career 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 motivations What 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 on 2010

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%) 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

Use of knowledge, skills and experience

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: Online labour market information

Framework of the knowledge, behaviour and attributes of successful researchers Enables self- assessment of strengths and areas for further development Common language for researchers capabilities Vitae Researcher Development Framework

Employability lens on the RDF

Employers’ expectation of researchers’ performance (high and very high) Employer categories Group 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: What do researchers do? Labour market information Impact and evaluation Careers advice for researchers Vitae employers Researcher Development Framework