Graduates from Centria Report High Satisfaction with Their Degrees and Excellent Employment Outcomes
The annual career monitoring survey for universities of applied sciences (UAS) targets graduates who completed their bachelor’s or master’s degree (AMK or YAMK) five years prior. The 2024 survey reveals that graduates from Centria University of Applied Sciences are highly satisfied with their degrees and are employed in their own field of education.
Centria ranks among the top UAS institutions nationally across all disciplines in the career monitoring survey. According to the results, 88% of bachelor’s graduates from Centria are satisfied with their degrees. Among master’s graduates, satisfaction is even higher, with 100% of respondents expressing contentment. The highest satisfaction levels were reported by individuals over 40 years of age pursuing a second degree.
– A sustainable degree is a key goal in Centria’s strategy and one of our core performance indicators. A sustainable degree means that students remain satisfied with their education even after gaining work experience, explains Jennie Elfving, Vice Rector of Education.
Most respondents feel that their degrees are well-recognized in the labor market. A significant majority, 81%, believe their degrees provided sufficient preparation for working life (strongly agree – somewhat agree). International students, in particular, report that a Centria degree equips them well for their careers.
Centria bachelor’s and master’s graduates rated their education on a scale of 0–6, with the highest satisfaction scores in the following areas: ability to learn and acquire new knowledge (4.6), initiative and self-direction (4.5), independent work and time management (4.4) and interaction and negotiation skills (4.3).
Centria Graduates Secure Permanent Jobs in Their Fields
Graduates from Centria University of Applied Sciences achieve excellent employment outcomes, with most securing permanent positions in roles related to their fields of study. 70% of respondents work in their field, 76% hold permanent full-time positions, and 8% are in fixed-term employment. Two percent of respondents work as entrepreneurs or self-employed professionals.
Among master’s graduates, 56% secured a new job during or after completing their degree, and the same percentage reported receiving higher salaries post-graduation. Additionally, 66% of master’s graduates felt their degree helped them advance to managerial or leadership positions.
At both graduation and five years later, most respondents reported employment in the regions of Central Ostrobothnia or Northern Ostrobothnia. These regions continue to host the majority of graduates’ workplaces five years after graduation.
Increased Response Rate for the Career Monitoring Survey
The career monitoring survey targets individuals who completed bachelor’s or master’s degrees five years earlier. Its purpose is to track graduates’ career paths, employment situations, and satisfaction with their degrees. Small differences between UAS institutions reflect the uniform quality and high standards of Finnish education.
A total of 518 Centria alumni who graduated in 2019 were invited to participate, and 267 responded, yielding a response rate of 51.5%. This is an improvement from the previous year and exceeds the national response rate of 39%.
The survey results provide valuable insights into employment outcomes, career opportunities, and the relevance of degrees, which are used to enhance education. The survey is conducted by the Finnish National Agency for Education and the Ministry of Education and Culture. The next survey will be held in autumn 2025 for students who graduated in 2020.
Detailed information on the survey results is available on Vipunen, where responses can also be viewed by degree program or according to the national classification of educational fields.