An Exploratory Study into The Job Expectations of Postgraduate Students Due to Enter the Workforce in Ireland

Alao, Bolanle Olayemi (2019) An Exploratory Study into The Job Expectations of Postgraduate Students Due to Enter the Workforce in Ireland. Masters thesis, Dublin, National College of Ireland.

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Abstract

This study seeks to explore the job expectations of postgraduate students due to enter the workforce in Ireland. The absence of research on postgraduate students and especially from the job expectations position is of precise interest in the context of an increasingly growing and important educational sector in Ireland. The study area which is yet to be conducted in an Irish context seeks to analyze postgraduates expectations of the workforce which could present interesting result for various employers who will be recruiting postgraduate students into their organization and postgraduate students graduating in the coming years.

The researcher concentrated the research question on Postgraduate Student: An exploratory study into the job expectations of postgraduate students, emphasising on those who are due to enter the workforce in Ireland. A cross sectional survey was conducted for this study and all observation and responses were noted and gathered using a qualitative approach. A semi-structured interview was chosen in order to gain an in-depth understanding of the topic and deduce rich quality data while allowing participants openly provide their views and opinion on the topic.

Also, Braun and Clarke thematic analysis was adopted in allowing both new and existing themes unfold form the data. The respondent chosen for the study were postgraduate students from three different colleges with a mix of Irish and international students. The participants were selected via agreeable and convenience sampling.

Subsequently, several remarkable findings were uncovered in relations to various area of postgraduates job expectations. Career progression opportunities Pay and incentives and training and development were considered a priority. The three above stated themes were also considered priority by postgraduate students when considering career choice amongst job stability and security and work-life balance and flexibility. Participants mentioned that the implementation of the various mentioned expectations may help attract, motivate and retain talented postgraduate students and a major reason for pursuing a postgraduate degree.

Item Type:	Thesis (Masters)
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor > Issues of Labour and Work > Classes of Labour > Graduate Employment H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor > HD28 Management. Industrial Management > Human Resource Management H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor > HD28 Management. Industrial Management > Human Resource Management > Performance Management > Motivation H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor > Issues of Labour and Work > Talent Management
Divisions:	School of Business > Master of Arts in Human Resource Management
Depositing User:	Caoimhe Ní Mhaicín
Date Deposited:	16 Oct 2019 16:30
Last Modified:	16 Oct 2019 16:30
URI:	https://norma.ncirl.ie/id/eprint/3937

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