University of Edinburgh MA Social Policy and Economics, United Kingdom.
Research Article
World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews, 2024, 23(02), 2835-2849
Received on 19 July 2024; revised on 26 August 2024; accepted on 29 August 2024
This quantitative study examines factors impacting successful career transitions for STEM PhD graduates pursuing research positions post-graduation. Recent statistics indicate only 50% of graduates remain in academic research careers three years after completing their degree (National Science Foundation, 2019), highlighting a need to understand obstacles and facilitators of effective career transitions. Utilizing Schlossberg’s Transition Theory (1981) as a framework, this study surveys 500 STEM PhD graduates from 30 top-ranked programs about skills gained from graduate school, career transition challenges faced, availability of career supports, and adaptations that could improve transitions into research-focused positions. Descriptive, correlational, and hierarchical regression analyses determine relationships between career transition success and several predictor variables grouped based on Schlossberg's 4S model including: (1) competencies developed in graduate school; (2) research experiences and networks gained; (3) institutional career support services offered; and (4) graduates’ coping skills and career resilience. Results aim to uncover key determinants of successful career transitions as well as identify areas needing improvement. Findings will inform evidence-based recommendations for how STEM graduate programs and employers can facilitate talent development and smooth transitions into long-term research careers, essential for innovation and solving complex scientific problems.
STEM; Societal Assets; Institutional Assets; Individual Assets; Career Transitions; Career Resilience
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Jin young Hwang. Examining factors impacting successful transition from graduate research to STEM careers. World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews, 2024, 23(2), 2835-2849. Article DOI: https://doi.org/10.30574/wjarr.2024.23.2.2624