The experience of under-employment amongst Sociology and Social Studies graduates : class 2010

Abstract

This research endeavours to establish if graduates are being engaged into their planned employment opportunities after years of hard work and sacrifices. As get closer to end of their educational journey, students often ask important questions about their future, such as, “What‟s Next?” Are students who followed their academic studies at the University of Malta, going to land a good job that equals their educational background? Or do they end up in an entirely different area which could regrettably necessitate less skills or intellectual ability than they had obtained? Under-employment can take place in three phases. First, students can be highly skilled but then work in low paying jobs. Second, highly skilled graduates can end up working in low skilled jobs. Third, those graduates who aimed to land full time jobs after they finish their studies may only find jobs which are offered part time. This research is being carried out to establish an assessment of the situation that appears after the hard work and sacrifices that students go through in their studies at the University of Malta. It will show if Sociology and Social Studies graduates face under-employment after their studies. The research methodology is both quantitative and qualitative. Online survey questionnaires will contain both close and open ended questions. The data gathered is then compared to the literature, I then come up with conclusions about under-employment amongst University of Malta students.