The purpose of this study is to investigate mismatch between education and employment for earned doctorates, especially women. Of particular interests are doctors who earned degrees in green industry related majors. Research questions include 1) what are the size of women doctorates and their distributions regarding sex, age, and majors? 2) Do earned doctorates have jobs after their graduation? 3) Do women doctorates have mismatch between education and employment? If so, what are the factors influencing mismatch? 4) What are the appropriate degrees for those who have mismatch problems? 5) How is the mismatch serious for those who have problems? 6) What are the characteristics of mismatched jobs? 7) How is the school to work transition for doctorates who have mismatch problems? 8) What are the opinions about employment assistant programs for earned doctorates?
We analyzed several data collected by Korea Educational Development Institute, Regional Employment Survey by National Statistics Office, and Panel Study of Earned Doctorates by Korea Research Institute for Vocational Education and Training. We estimated the probabilities of employment for earned doctorates and holding regular jobs, mismatch between education and jobs as well as between majors and jobs. In addition to data analysis, we collected survey data from earned doctorates who have experiences of mismatch. The number of observation was 1,000 and those included men and women doctors who are under 45 years old.
The results showed that the number of women doctorates were estimated to be 33,000, and 3,000 doctors were granted in each year. 38% of women doctors were less than 40 years old, which means that they have higher risk of career disruption due to pregnancy and child rearing. Economic participation rate for women doctors was 86.3% and their major occupations were lecturers, faculties, teachers in secondary schools, and educational specialists.
Since the number of doctors is growing rapidly, mismatch happens. Women doctors were more likely to be unemployeds or irregular workers. Men doctorates showed 59% of mismatch between education and jobs and women had 36.5% of mismatch rates. However sex was not a significant variable when other factors were controlled. This results proved that gender segregated majors or labor market conditions were more problematic than gender itself. Mismatch between majors and jobs was not very problematic. 95.2% of men and 96.9% of women had jobs related to their doctoral majors.
Doctors who had green majors, which were defined from National Committee of Green Growth showed relatively better outcomes in job stabilities and match between majors and jobs. Mismatch between education and jobs for green doctors was lower than others.
Survey data resulted that doctors who experienced mismatch were more likely to start Ph.D programs without future goals and visions. Their perception about labor market was not based on current conditions of labor market. Respondents thought that universities had responsibilities to provide assistance for job market transition.
We suggested several policy implications based on research outcomes. First government needs to provide information about Ph.D programs and job market outcomes for future doctorates. Second, women in Ph.D program need to have career coaching because women's labor market outcome is relatively worse than men's. Third, temporary assistance program for unemployed women doctors need to be activated in order to support school to work transition. Fourth career disruption prevention programs for women doctors are crucial because women have higher risk due to pregnancy and child rearing. Finally green majored doctors need to be integrated to national growth plans by National Committee of Green Growth.
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