“How do I get From Here to There?” An Examination of Ph.D. Science Students’ Career Preparation and Decision Making

Abstract

Drawing on developmental networks theory, this qualitative research study explores the professional preparation and career decision-making processes of doctoral students in the sciences. The study is based on 95 semi-structured interviews with informants at three research universities in the United States. Though many students were interested in non-academic career tracks, they were largely unaware of the breadth of their choices or how to best prepare for these careers. Unable to cultivate networks in non-academic careers, many students turned to peers to fill the career development gap. Due to their lack of knowledge about career options, among other factors, students often delayed selecting and preparing for careers until the end of their graduate studies. Implications for doctoral education practice are discussed.

My Story, My Identity: Doctoral Students of Color at a Research University

“…For example, community engagement opportunities enable graduate students to "acquire research and teaching skills, to learn the knowledge of their disciplines in ways that promote deeper understanding and greater complexity, and to make connections with public agencies and groups that enrich the quality of their education" (Jaeger & Thornton, 2006, p. 4). The nature of the academic work experiences graduate students engage in influences the career they choose (Austin, 2002;Fuhrman, Halme, O'Sullivan, & Lindstaedt, 2011;Johnson & Birkeland, 2003;Thiry & Laursen, 2015).…”

International Experiences To Increase Employability for Education Doctoral Students. A Comparative Study

“…Additionally, the need for interdisciplinary approaches to local and global problems/issues and to industry challenges have led to an increasing variability of careers for PhD recipients (Fuhrmann, ; Roberts, ). However, doctoral students are not always aware of the scope of their choices (Fuhrmann, ; Golde, ; Thiry et al., ). Fuhrmann () laments that there are significant gaps in doctoral and postdoctoral education that need to be addressed for increased employability for graduates explaining,

First, trainees lack knowledge about the career options available to them.

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“…As such, researchers, policy makers, and faculty call for further investigation into the current demand for PhDs in the workforce (Groen, ), for better matching doctoral students’ training with workforce actualities (Golde & Dore, ), and on adult learning methods in doctoral programs (Coryell & Murray, ; Coryell, Wagner, Clark, & Stuessy, ; Drago‐Severson, Ashgar, & Gaylor, ). With the growth in PhD program graduates, research is needed to identify and meet the needs for serving a growing diversity in student populations and programs (Su, ; Welton, Mansfield, & Lee, ; Williams, Thakore, & McGee, ), to address changes in technologies and the labor market globally (Groen, ; Thiry et al., ), and to understand the scope of individual, departmental, and institutional factors that influence doctoral student learning and employability (Astramovich, Okech, & Hoskins, ).…”

“…Research on doctoral programs highlights PhD career development through mentoring and coaching doctoral students for postgraduation (Levin, ; Stevens‐Long, Shapiro, & McClintock, ; Welton et al., ; Williams et al., ), by ensuring foundational courses orient students early in the program to the profession and the discipline's intellectual community (Levin, ), through constructing individual plans or progress documents that encourage students to engage in learning and activities that develop the professional skills and knowledge needed for employability in and outside of the academy (Fuhrmann, ; Golde, ; Levin, ), and through offering workshops and course‐based activities designed to explore and value career development throughout the doctoral program (Fuhrmann, ; Thiry et al., ).…”

“…A global focus is currently on higher education graduates’ employability, time to completion, workforce knowledge and skills, and the importance of enhancing human resources during the current era of exponential rates of advancements in technology (Fuhrmann, ; Griffiths, Inman, Rojas, & Williams, ; Pedersen, ; Thiry, Laursen, & Loshbaugh, ). Knowledge‐intensive labor is essential for sustained competitiveness (Pedersen, ), and with a new focus on research skills and competencies in the workforce, the number of PhD graduates grew by almost 40% from 2000 to 2009 (Auriol, Misu, & Freeman, ).…”