One way to evaluate the success of a (new) educational system is to examine the relationship between education and working life in terms of how successfully people with completed qualifications gain entry to working life and what kind of jobs they find there (e.g. Teichler, 1998). This study focuses on the transition from Finnish polytechnics to working life at a point of time when working life is still unfamiliar with polytechnic degrees, intended to qualify their holders for tasks requiring professional expertise. It looks also at how well the skills acquired in polytechnics meet the skills requirements of working life.

The study is a continuation of a research project dealing with polytechnic graduates' transition to working life after their qualification (Korhonen et al., 1999; 2000; 2001). The data consist of the results of a questionnaire survey carried out in autumn 2003 in the study fields of business and administration (n=626), technology and transport (n=637) and health and social services (n=625). The graduates had left their polytechnics about three years earlier, in 2000. The results of the study are based on the polytechnic graduates' answers to the questionnaire.

The data are analysed using statistical methods such as variance analysis, factor analysis and log linear models. The findings suggest that the polytechnic graduates have been successful in making their entry to the world of work. In 2003, 82% of polytechnic graduates in business and administration, technology and transport, and health and social services were in employment. Comparing this result with earlier findings (Korhonen et al. 1999; 2000; 2001) reveals that at the end of the 1990s, 75% of polytechnic graduates in these fields had a job. The graduates' study field seems to be one of the most important factors affecting their transition to working life: 89% of the engineers, 82% of the business and administration and 75% of the health and social services graduates were working. In 2003, most of the polytechnic graduates had a permanent position. It appears that these polytechnic degrees have been become well-known on the labour market and that the polytechnics have fulfilled their tasks quite well.

However, although the findings concerning the polytechnic graduates' placement in working life seem to be positive, there is a gap between the skills acquired in education and the skills actually needed in working life. According to the polytechnic graduates, working life demands more skills than their education can offer them. These findings are not surprising because some skills, such as practical skills, including tacit ones, and self-regulation skills are learnt only in working life (Bereiter, 2002; Bereiter & Scardamalia, 1993). There is a real challenge here to develop teaching and teaching methods in polytechnics.

References

• Bereiter, C. (2002). Education and mind in the knowledge age. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.
• Bereiter, C. & Scardamalia, M. (1993). Surpassing ourselves: An inquiry into the nature of expertise. Chicago: Open Court.
• Korhonen, K., Mäkinen, R., & Valkonen, S. (1999). Kaupallisen korkea-asteen tutkinnolla työelämään [Commercial tertiary qualifications and entry to working life] (Tutkimusselosteita No 5). Jyväskylä, Finland: Koulutuksen tutkimuslaitos, Jyväskylän yliopisto.
• Korhonen, K., Mäkinen, R., & Valkonen, S. (2000). Insinöörin tutkinnolla työelämään [Engineering tertiary qualifications and entry to working life] (Tutkimusselosteita No 9). Jyväskylä, Finland: Koulutuksen tutkimuslaitos, Jyväskylän yliopisto.
• Korhonen, K., Mäkinen, R., & Valkonen, S. (2001). Sosiaali- ja terveysalan tutkinnolla työelämään [Social and health care tertiary qualifications and entry to working life] (Tutkimusselosteita No 13). Jyväskylä, Finland: Koulutuksen tutkimuslaitos, Jyväskylän yliopisto.
• Teichler, U. (1998). The transition from higher education to employment in Europe. Higher Education in Europe, 23, 535-558.