TY - JOUR
T1 - Factors influencing PhD students’ intentions to pursue careers in the government and nonprofit sectors
T2 - evidence from a global survey
AU - Li, Huan
AU - Horta, Hugo
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 HERDSA.
PY - 2022
Y1 - 2022
N2 - There is a growing need to support diversified career pathways for doctoral students. However, research on the determinants of doctoral students’ preferences to pursue future careers outside academia is still limited, or indeed is absent when careers in the government and nonprofit sectors (GNS) are considered. Using data from the 2019 Nature PhD Students Survey, this paper explores factors that influence PhD students’ preferences for GNS career pathways. The results show that the personal attributes, motivations, and concerns of students considering careers outside academia are generally similar, notwithstanding their career preference by sector of activity. However, the results also suggest that doctoral students who lean towards GNS careers have different personal attributes, motivations, and concerns than those wanting to work in the business sector. Specifically, compared with those preferring employment in the business sector, doctoral students who are concerned about the political landscape and care less about the uncertainty of career prospects are more inclined to work in the nonprofit sector. Compared with those preferring employment in the business sector, those who enjoy creativity and the academic environment tend to prefer employment in the government sector. Older and female doctoral students are also more likely to consider GNS career pathways.
AB - There is a growing need to support diversified career pathways for doctoral students. However, research on the determinants of doctoral students’ preferences to pursue future careers outside academia is still limited, or indeed is absent when careers in the government and nonprofit sectors (GNS) are considered. Using data from the 2019 Nature PhD Students Survey, this paper explores factors that influence PhD students’ preferences for GNS career pathways. The results show that the personal attributes, motivations, and concerns of students considering careers outside academia are generally similar, notwithstanding their career preference by sector of activity. However, the results also suggest that doctoral students who lean towards GNS careers have different personal attributes, motivations, and concerns than those wanting to work in the business sector. Specifically, compared with those preferring employment in the business sector, doctoral students who are concerned about the political landscape and care less about the uncertainty of career prospects are more inclined to work in the nonprofit sector. Compared with those preferring employment in the business sector, those who enjoy creativity and the academic environment tend to prefer employment in the government sector. Older and female doctoral students are also more likely to consider GNS career pathways.
KW - career choice
KW - Doctoral education
KW - government and nonprofit sectors
KW - motivations
KW - PhD students
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85111465634&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/07294360.2021.1948975
DO - 10.1080/07294360.2021.1948975
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85111465634
SN - 0729-4360
VL - 41
SP - 1946
EP - 1961
JO - Higher Education Research and Development
JF - Higher Education Research and Development
IS - 6
ER -