Abstract:

The aim of this research is to explore the opinions of employers about hosting PhD students on work placements in order to understand how best to structure Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) in PhD education to align with the needs of all stakeholders. As it is expected that the majority of PhD graduates will enter non-academic or alt-academic career paths post-graduation, it is important that the insights from future employers are incorporated into the PhD education curriculum.

The research used a mixed methods approach including surveys triangulated with semi-structured interviews. The research population studied was business owners and hiring managers in Ireland who have one or more employees. Explanatory sequential mixed methods were utilized to inform the interview questions and interpret trends found in the survey. The interview and survey responses were analyzed using grounded theory.

The majority of employers indicated that they already had or would consider hosting a PhD student on work placement but nearly a quarter of employers were unsure about the prospect of it. The reluctance was related to uncertainty of what it involved and being able to provide meaningful and mutually beneficial work in the placement. When asked what a successful PhD work placement looked like, respondents referenced the completion of meaningful work, improving knowledge for both student and employer, and opportunities for the recruitment post-placement. Employers who had not engaged in PhD placements already indicated obstacles related to aligning the timing of the placement with business needs and ensuring that the placement was a good fit with mutual benefits for both the company and the student. They thought that the benefits might include recruitment, networking, collaborations, and learning through the university or student. These benefits were echoed by respondents who had participated in placements with PhD students already. Most of the respondents who had participated in PhD work placement reported that the students had appropriate training and skills and that the involvement and communication throughout the placement with the university or student was adequate. All of the respondents indicated that that they would host a PhD student on work placement again. The vast majority of respondents also indicated that they would be interested in other collaboration or networking opportunities with PhD students.

The results of the survey indicate an appetite in Ireland from employers to work with PhD students and graduates. While only half of the employers stated that they currently employ PhD graduates, 83% indicated that they would hire a PhD graduate in the future and 76% indicated that they would consider hosting or already had hosted a PhD student on work placement. As the majority of respondents indicated that their business had previously hired someone on a permanent basis who participated in a work placement, work placements may be a key mechanism to facilitate the transition of PhD graduates into the non-academic work force. However, employers’ requirements for PhD work placement may not align with the constraints of PhD programmes in Ireland. The majority of employers prefer placements to be 6-months or longer which is difficult to fit into the standard 4-year Irish PhD. Still, employers also expressed interest in alternative networking or collaboration opportunities. Alternatives to work placements may bridge the gap between employer and PhD student needs.

Keywords:

PhD education, Postgraduate, Work-Integrated Learning, Employers, Employability.