Graduates during COVID-19 pandemic more satisfied with completed course than their predecessors
MBO and HBO graduates were more satisfied with their education completed in 2019-2020 a year and a half after graduation compared to one cohort year earlier, despite having graduated during the COVID-19 pandemic. Besides that, more graduates believe that their completed studies provided a good basis for starting in the job market. This and more is shown in the annual school-leavers survey by Maastricht University's Research Centre for Education and the Labour Market (ROA).
Early school leavers
The survey shows that the majority of early school leavers from school year 2019-2020 cited school-related causes or (mental) health problems as the main reason for dropping out. Only 2% of early school leavers explicitly state that COVID-19 was the main reason for dropping out. However, according to the researchers, the pandemic may also have played a role in other reasons for dropping out early. Compared to one cohort year earlier, a higher proportion of early school leavers are working in autumn 2021. They are also studying less frequently. It therefore follows that early school leavers are now less likely to resume their studies and more likely to be in undeclared work. Despite a decrease compared to one cohort year earlier, the majority of early school leavers continue to plan to return to education, although the vast majority of these do not yet know when and/or which education.
School-leaving graduates
Graduates of school year 2019-2020 were less likely to be unemployed a year and a half after graduation than graduates of one cohort year earlier. The survey also shows that a higher proportion of HAVO and VWO graduates opted for further education than one cohort year earlier. Thus, a so-called gap year was chosen less often than before. The fact that qualified school-leavers are more satisfied with their completed studies, despite the fact that they were completed during the COVID-19 pandemic, does not necessarily mean that the pandemic did not have a negative impact. ROA research as part of the National Cohort Study on Education (NCO) in primary schools previously showed that the pandemic had a negative effect on the development of cognitive skills of schoolchildren.
Also read
-
The Maastricht Business Days (MBD) have been a hallmark of the School of Business and Economics (SBE) since their inception in 1996, standing out as the most prestigious student recruitment event. Organized by SCOPE, the faculty’s dynamic study association, the MBDs connect over 600 students annually with approximately 50 leading companies from diverse industries. This student-led initiative not only encourages professional growth through workshops, interviews, and networking events but also highlights the collaborative spirit of SBE, uniting students, alumni, and industry professionals in meaningful ways.
-
In the face of societal challenges and changes in the labor market, lifelong development should be obvious for everyone. However, research by Maastricht University's Research Center for Education and the Labor Market (ROA) funded by the LLO-Katalysator shows that participation in work-related courses has been relatively stable since 2004, remaining at 53 percent.
-
Rob Bauer, Professor of Finance at the Maastricht School of Business and Economics, is the winner of the Greening Finance Prize 2024, awarded by the University of Oxford.
