Graduates feel that the streams of medicine and science are the most stable and attractive
At least 58 percent of respondents still feel confident about their future career prospects in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, results from a recent survey has revealed. The survey, released by the CFA Institute, the global association of investment professionals, captures the career outlook of more than 15,000 current university students and recent graduates in the Asia Pacific region.
The findings also indicate that traditionally stable fields like finance remain attractive for graduates navigating these uncertain times. In fact, respondents ranked finance as one of the top five most valuable majors for finding a career. Graduates also feel that the streams of medicine and science are the most stable and attractive, followed by healthcare and education.
Vidhu Shekhar, Country Head, India, CFA Institute, said, "It is good to see optimism among young people graduating and starting their career amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. They have been quick to embrace hybrid workplaces, dynamic work hours and dispersed teams".
Most graduates believe their future career will be as good or better than their parents' generation, despite the COVID-19 pandemic.
Those studying accounting and finance are particularly confident, with 80 percent believing their prospects are as good or better than their parents' generation.
Despite this overall confidence, 45 percent of the respondents said they are reassessing their career paths due to the pandemic. Their top concerns now include feeling underqualified for the job they want (24 percent), low pay in their preferred sector (23 percent), wage reductions as a result of the pandemic (22 percent) and lack of jobs in their preferred sector (22 percent).
Forty-six percent said their perceptions on career prospects, desires and expectations have changed since the pandemic outbreak, and 41 percent of respondents said they have had to reassess the sector they want to go into after the pandemic.
Another primary concern for students is developing work-related skills during degree programs and after graduating. One in five respondents said they feel the lack of career progression in their preferred sector and that they do not feel ready for the professional world.
When approaching the volatile job market, students and graduates see value in further education. Eighty-five percent of respondents feel that upskilling and post-graduate qualifications will provide a competitive advantage in the job market.
"Widespread adoption of e-learning has meant that more people can pursue higher education and training without leaving their jobs. As more students and recent graduates choose non-traditional education, the pandemic may end up yielding a more highly skilled workforce," Shekhar added.
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