Tracking Graduate Employment Alignment to Field of Study and Expanding Five-Year Post-Graduation Survey Beyond Polytechnics
Ministry of EducationSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns the tracking of graduate employment alignment to fields of study and the expansion of the five-year post-graduation tracer survey. Mr Cai Yinzhou inquired about findings from the 2019 polytechnic pilot and whether the initiative had been extended to autonomous universities and the Institute of Technical Education. Minister Desmond Lee stated that about 80% of graduates in full-time permanent employment since 2017 were in related roles, with polytechnic graduates seeing median salaries rise from $2,100 to $3,300 after five years. The pilot results showed high employment rates and that 64% of polytechnic graduates remained in related fields, while some others had pursued studies in different areas. Minister Desmond Lee confirmed that these tracer surveys have since been extended to both autonomous universities and the Institute of Technical Education.
Transcript
37 Mr Cai Yinzhou asked the Minister for Education (a) whether the Ministry tracks the proportion of graduates employed in roles aligned to their field of study; (b) what were the findings of the pilot conducted with polytechnics to survey graduates five years after graduation; (c) whether this pilot has been extended to autonomous universities and ITE as previously indicated; and (d) if not, why not.
Mr Desmond Lee: The Graduate Employment Survey (GES) tracks the proportion of graduates employed in jobs related to their field of study. From 2017 to 2024, this proportion has gradually increased and remained high, with about eight in 10 graduates in full-time permanent employment reporting they were in jobs related to their field of study.
The pilot conducted by the polytechnics in 2019 polled graduates from the polytechnic class of 2014. The results suggest that they were doing well in the labour market, with more than nine in 10 of those in the labour force being employed. Sixty-four percent of graduates in full-time permanent employment were in jobs related to their course of study. Among those in full-time permanent jobs unrelated to their original course of study, 14 percentage points had completed further studies in a different field. Furthermore, the median salaries of those in full-time permanent employment had risen from $2,100 in 2014 to $3,300 five years after graduation.
Similar tracer surveys have been extended to the autonomous universities and the Institute of Technical Education.