To be successful in working life, graduates need the ability to identify and describe their own employability. Employability is examined through various capitals. Human (knowledge and skills), psychological (adaptability and self-efficacy beliefs), social (contacts, networks and work experience), identity (identification of one’s own competence, strengths and areas of development) and cultural (understanding the labour market in one’s own field) capital are linked to success in working life (Haltia et al., 2023; Tomlinson, 2017; Tuononen & Hyytinen, 2022). Raising, identifying and describing capital requires good self-regulation skills (Tuononen et al., 2022; Tuononen et al., 2017; 2019; van der Heijde, 2014).
The project examines the employability of university graduates, self-regulation, employment during studies and the transition to working life. In addition, the socio-economic status is being studied in relation to employabiity and career success. Follow-up data are collected from graduates two years after graduation and it maps the relationship between employability and socio-economic status to success in working life. The study also compares the employability and transition to working life of graduates from two different regions (Helsinki and Eastern Finland). The project also examines the employability and employment of domestic and international students and their relationship to socio-economic status. The research is carried out at the University of Helsinki Centre for University Pedagogy (HYPE) and the Department of Education and Psychology at the University of Eastern Finland.