SAMK graduates’ employment rate is high

The last SAMK survey dates from 2015. The return rate was 33,6 per cent. Up to 92 per cent had a contract or were working as an entrepreneur. 6 per cent were studying or were on a family leave. Vice President Timo Mattila is very happy with these results.

– It is great that our graduates’ employment rate is so high. That is our priority. Many of the new graduates find a job in Satakunta, but later they tend to move somewhere else.

79 per cent of respondents were working on the field of their degree. 87 per cent of them were relatively happy with their career to date.

Well prepared for working life

Mattila said that the survey revealed several positive aspects in SAMK education.

– However, we have to remember that working life needs change quickly nowadays. The alumni provided us with some very good guidance on how to develop our activities. We have a very good network that helps us to respond to different demands.

83 per cent of SAMK graduates were at least quite happy with their degree. This is close to the national average. They thought their degree gave them good opportunities in the job market and have noticed that employers value SAMK degrees.

Mattila says SAMK has reached the satisfaction of both employers and employees.

– This tells us that our activities are of high quality. SAMK received the same results from a survey where students evaluated their education just before graduation.

Continuous learning is important

This survey showed how important it is to learn generic skills. You need to know how to tolerate stress, how to guide yourself and others, and multitasking in working life.

Mattila considers these skills extremely important.

– This is where we see the biggest gap between what the students felt they had learnt and what the real life demanded from them. You need these skills also when changing jobs. Learning is an ongoing process; we need to constantly update our old skills and acquire new ones.