Professional Practicum in German Higher Education Acquisition of Competences and their Influence on Labour Market Entry Presentation at the First National and International Conference on Professional Practicum. The Professional Practicum and Educational Models: Concepts, Implementation and Development of Professional Competences in a National and International Context at the Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla Complejo Cultural Universitario 8th June 2011 Andreas Sarcletti, Ph. D.
Overview 1 Introduction 2 Theoretical Background: Human Capital Theory 3 Methods 3.1 The Bavarian Graduate Panel 3.2 Characteristics of Internships 3.3 Impact on Labour Market Entry 4 Quality of Internships concerning Competences 5 Impact of Internships on Labour Market Entry 6 Conclusion Professional Praktika Practicum Nutzen für in German Studium Higher und Berufseinstieg Education 14. 8th Juni June 2010 2011 2
1 Introduction University degree often not sufficient for labour market entry Internships to complete competence profile Significance of internships depends on field of study Acquisition of competences in internships Practical competences vs. theoretical competences Information technology skills Intercultural skills (internships in foreign countries) Internships also important for contacts to employers Professional Praktika Practicum Nutzen für in German Studium Higher und Berufseinstieg Education 14. 8th Juni June 2010 2011 3
2 Theoretical Background: Human Capital Theory Human Capital Theory competences are decisive for success in the labour market Human Capital Theory and Internships Fields of study with clear vs. diffuse reference to labour market profit: general/company-specific competences, income costs: accommodation, travel, lost income, mark, duration of study Professional Praktika Practicum Nutzen für in German Studium Higher und Berufseinstieg Education 14. 8th Juni June 2010 2011 4
3 Methods 3.1 The Bavarian Graduate Panel Bavarian graduates who finished their studies in 2003/04 Survey about one and a half years after graduation 4,573 graduates (Diploma and Magister) Graduates of five groups of field of study: - Language and culture sciences (613 persons) - Social sciences (461 persons) - Economics (1,701 persons) - Mathematics and natural science (773 persons) - Engineering sciences (971 persons) Universities and Universities of applied sciences Professional Praktika Practicum Nutzen für in German Studium Higher und Berufseinstieg Education 14. 8th Juni June 2010 2011 5
3 Methods 3.1 The Bavarian Graduate Panel 1 2 3 Graduate cohort 2009/10 1 2 3 Graduate cohort 2007/8 1 2 3 Graduate cohort 2005/6 1 2 3 Graduate cohort 2003/4 2005 07 09 11 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 Professional Praktika Practicum Nutzen für in German Studium Higher und Berufseinstieg Education 14. 8th Juni June 2010 2011 6
3 Methods 3.2 Characteristics of Internships Information about acquisition of competences: first/last internship Acquisition of professional competences* Acquisition of extra-professional competences* Acquisition of professional and extra-professional competences: independent variables concerning labour market entry models (last internship only) *1=very useful to acquire these competences 5=not useful at all to acquire these competences Professional Praktika Practicum Nutzen für in German Studium Higher und Berufseinstieg Education 14. 8th Juni June 2010 2011 7
3 Methods 3.2 Characteristics of Internships Further information about first/last internship: Usefulness: contact to employers for future labour market entry (1=very useful, 5=not useful at all) Included in models concerning labour market entry (last internship only) Usefulness: orientation concerning own composition of studies (1=very useful, 5=not useful at all) Usefulness: more exact picture of possible occupations (1=very useful, 5=not useful at all) Both not included in models concerning labour market entry, but important aspects concerning the usefulness of internships Professional Praktika Practicum Nutzen für in German Studium Higher und Berufseinstieg Education 14. 8th Juni June 2010 2011 8
3 Methods 3.2 Characteristics of Internships Further information about first/last internship (continuation): Duration (in weeks) Obligatory versus voluntary internship Position in the studies (semester in which internship is absolved) Assistance/support at the firm, were internship is absolved (1=very good, 5=very bad, 6=not at all) Assistance/support from university/university of applied sciences (1=very good, 5=very bad, 6=not at all) All included as independent variables in models concerning usefulness of internships Professional Praktika Practicum Nutzen für in German Studium Higher und Berufseinstieg Education 14. 8th Juni June 2010 2011 9
3 Methods 3.3 Impact on Labour Market Entry Characteristics of first employment (dependent variables) Limited in time or not (logistic regression) Income (gross per hour) (OLS regression) Adequacy concerning level of tasks* (OLS regression) Adequacy concerning field of study* (OLS regression) Adequacy concerning professional status* (OLS regression) Duration until labour market entry Piecewise constant exponential model Competing risks: first employment vs. Ph. D. fellowship *1=yes, definitively; 5=not at all Professional Praktika Practicum Nutzen für in German Studium Higher und Berufseinstieg Education 14. 8th Juni June 2010 2011 10
3 Methods 3.3 Impact on Labour Market Entry Independent variables beside those concerning internships Familial conditions (gender, partner, parents education) Course of education (study-related stay abroad, study-related vocational training, change of field of study) Results of the studies (final mark in exam, duration of studies) Further variables (disposition for mobility, time when job search began, job combined with writing a Ph. D. thesis*, first employment in public service*, field of study of the graduate) *not in models concerning duration until labour market entry Professional Praktika Practicum Nutzen für in German Studium Higher und Berufseinstieg Education 14. 8th Juni June 2010 2011 11
4 Results concerning Quality of Internships with Regard to Competences On which factors does the usefulness depend primarily? Assistance/support at the firm Duration Assistance/support at HE institution (university of applied sciences only) Last intership (much) more useful than the first one Differences between fields of studies (see next two slides) Professional Praktika Practicum Nutzen für in German Studium Higher und Berufseinstieg Education 14. 8th Juni June 2010 2011 12
4 Results concerning Quality of Internships with Regard to Competences 1 1,5 2 2,5 3 3,5 4 4,5 5 Professional Competences Sprach- und Language Kulturwissenschaften and culture (Uni) sciences (n = (university) 538, 480, 379) Sozialwissenschaften (Uni) Social sciences (n = 106, (university) 74, 97) Social Sozialwissenschaften sciences (university (FH) of applied (n = sciences) 281, 160, 198) Economics Wirtschaftswissenschaften (university) (Uni) (n = 687, 576, Economics (university of applied Wirtschaftswissenschaften sciences) (FH) (n = 807, 599, Mathematik u. Mathematics/natural Naturwissenschaften (Uni) sciences (university) (n = 335, 214, 440) Mathematik u. Mathematics/natural Naturwissenschaften sciences (FH) (univ. of(n applied = 132, sciences) 115, 116) Ingenieurwissenschaften Engineering (Uni) (university) (n = 203, 198, 175) Engineering Ingenieurwissenschaften (university of applied (FH) sciences) (n = 668, 506, 484) letztes Last internship Praktikum erstes First internship Praktikum fachnahe Study-related Erwerbstätigkeit job 1=very useful to acquire these competences; 5=not useful at all to acquire these competences Professional Praktika Practicum Nutzen für in German Studium Higher und Berufseinstieg Education 14. 8th Juni June 2010 2011 13
4 Results concerning Quality of Internships with Regard to Competences 1 1,5 2 2,5 3 3,5 4 4,5 5 Extra-Professional Competences Sprach- und Language Kulturwissenschaften and culture (Uni) sciences (n = (university) 539, 481, 379) Sozialwissenschaften (Uni) Social sciences (n = 106, (university) 74, 97) Social Sozialwissenschaften sciences (university (FH) of applied (n = sciences) 281, 160, 182) Wirtschaftswissenschaften Economics (Uni) (university) (n = 687, 576, 505) Economics Wirtschaftswissenschaften (university of applied (FH) sciences) (n = 807, 599, 562) Mathematik u. Mathematics/natural Naturwissenschaften (Uni) sciences (university) (n = 335, 214, 440) Mathematik u. Mathematics/natural Naturwissenschaften sciences (FH) (univ. of(n applied = 259, sciences) 115, 116) Ingenieurwissenschaften Engineering (Uni) (university) (n = 203, 197, 176) Engineering Ingenieurwissenschaften (university of(fh) applied(n sciences) = 669, 506, 483) letztes Last internship Praktikum erstes First internship Praktikum fachnahe Study-related Erwerbstätigkeit job 1=very useful to acquire these competences; 5=not useful at all to acquire these competences Professional Praktika Practicum Nutzen für in German Studium Higher und Berufseinstieg Education 14. 8th Juni June 2010 2011 14
4 Results concerning Quality of Internships with Regard to Competences 1 1,5 2 2,5 3 3,5 4 4,5 5 Quality of Support at the Institution where it takes place Language and culture sciences Sprach- und Kulturwissenschaften Social Sozialwissenschaften sciences Wirtschaftswissensch Economics aften Mathematics/ Mathematik und natural Naturwissenschaften sciences Ingenieurwissenschaf Engineering ten 1 1,5 2 2,5 3 3,5 4 4,5 5 Uni U (f.(e. i.) P.) FH UAP (e. (f. i.) P.) Uni U (l. (l. i.) P.) FH UAP (l. (l. P.) i.) 1 = very good; 5 = very bad U=University; UAS=University of applied sciences; f. i.=first internship; l. i.=last internship Professional Praktika Practicum Nutzen für in German Studium Higher und Berufseinstieg Education 14. 8th Juni June 2010 2011 15
4 Results concerning Quality of Internships with Regard to Competences 1 1,5 2 2,5 3 3,5 4 4,5 5 Quality of Support at University/ University of applied sciences Language and culture sciences Sprach- und Kulturwissenschaften Social sciences Sozialwissenschaften Economics Wirtschaftswissensch aften Mathematics/ Mathematik und natural Naturwissenschaften sciences Ingenieurwissenschaf Engineering ten 1 1,5 2 2,5 3 3,5 4 4,5 5 Uni U (f.(e. i.) P.) UAP FH (f. (e. i.) P.) Uni U (l. (l. i.) P.) FH UAP (l. i.) P.) 1 = very good; 5 = very bad U=University; UAS=University of applied sciences; f. i.=first internship; l. i.=last internship Professional Praktika Practicum Nutzen für in German Studium Higher und Berufseinstieg Education 14. 8th Juni June 2010 2011 16
4 Results concerning Quality of Internships with Regard to Competences Internships Support at University Sprach- und Language Kulturwissenschaften and culture (n = sciences 493) Social Sozialwissenschaften (n = sciences 101) Economics Wirtschaftswissenschaften (university) (n = 626) Mathematics/ Mathematik und Natur- natural wissenschaften sciences (n = 304) Engineering Ingenieurwissenschaften (n = 189) 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Vor-, Support/prep/postprocessing Nachbereitung oder Betreuung keine No support/prep/postprocessing Vor-, Nachbereitung oder Betreuung Professional Praktika Practicum Nutzen für in German Studium Higher und Berufseinstieg Education 14. 8th Juni June 2010 2011 17
4 Results concerning Quality of Internships with Regard to Competences Internships Support at University of applied sciences Social Sozialwissenschaften (n = sciences 268) Economics Wirtschaftswissenschaften (n = 770) Mathematics/ Mathematik und natural Naturwissenschaften sciences (n = 135) Engineering Ingenieurwissenschaften (n = 623) 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Vor-, Support/prep/postprocessing Nachbereitung oder Betreuung keine No support/prep/postprocessing Vor-, Nachbereitung oder Betreuung Professional Praktika Practicum Nutzen für in German Studium Higher und Berufseinstieg Education 14. 8th Juni June 2010 2011 18
5 Impact of Competences acquired in Internships on Labour Market Entry Influence of Internships on First Employment Results for all Bavarian graduates Number of internshi ps Prof. competences (1=very useful; 5=not useful at all) Extra-prof. competences (1=very useful; 5=not useful at all) Way to first employment after studies through contact (1=yes) First employment limited in n. s. n. s. n. s. n. s. time(1=no, 0 = yes) Income (gross) per hour n. s. n. s. n. s. 1,936*** Adequacy: level of tasks n. s. 0,070** 0,064** -0,189* (1=yes, definitively, 5=not at all) Adequacy: field of study (1=yes, definitively, 5=not at all) Adequacy: professional status (1=yes, definitively, 5=not at all) Duration until first employment n. s. 0,110*** n. s. -0,186* n. s. n. s. 0,096*** -0,199* n. s. n. s. n. s. 0,460*** Significance: ***1%-level; **5%-level; *10%-level Professional Praktika Practicum Nutzen für in German Studium Higher und Berufseinstieg Education 14. 8th Juni June 2010 2011 19
5 Impact of Competences acquired in Internships on Labour Market Entry Influence of Internships on First Employment Results for graduates of fields of study with clear reference to the labour market Number of internshi ps Prof. competences (1=very useful; 5=not useful at all) Extra-prof. competences (1=very useful; 5=not useful at all) Way to first employment after studies through contact (1=yes) First employment limited in n. s. n. s. n. s. n. s. time(1=no, 0 = yes) Income (gross) per hour n. s. n. s. n. s. 2,068*** Adequacy: level of tasks n. s. 0,080** 0,081** -0,187* (1=yes, definitively, 5=not at all) Adequacy: field of study (1=yes, definitively, 5=not at all) Adequacy: professional status (1=yes, definitively, 5=not at all) Duration until first employment Significance: ***1%-level; **5%-level; *10%-level n. s. 0,130*** n. s. -0,253** n. s. 0,074** 0,098*** n. s. n. s. n. s. n. s. 0,449*** Professional Praktika Practicum Nutzen für in German Studium Higher und Berufseinstieg Education 14. 8th Juni June 2010 2011 20
5 Impact of Competences acquired in Internships on Labour Market Entry Influence of Internships on First Employment Results for graduates of fields of study with less clear reference to the labour market Number of internshi ps Prof. competences (1=very useful; 5=not useful at all) Extra-prof. competences (1=very useful; 5=not useful at all) Way to first employment after studies through contact (1=yes) First employment limited in -0,258** n. s. n. s. 1,132* time(1=no, 0 = yes) Income(gross)perhour n.s. n.s. n.s. n.s. Adequacy: level of tasks -0,155*** n. s. n. s. n. s. (1=yes, definitively, 5=not at all) Adequacy: field of study (1=yes, definitively, 5=not at all) Adequacy: professional status (1=yes, definitively, 5=not at all) Duration until first employment Significance: ***1%-level; **5%-level; *10%-level -0,149*** 0,102* n. s. n. s. n. s. n. s. n. s. -0,686** n. s. n. s. n. s. 0,673** Professional Praktika Practicum Nutzen für in German Studium Higher und Berufseinstieg Education 14. 8th Juni June 2010 2011 21
5 Impact of Competences acquired in Internships on Labour Market Entry Influence of Internships on First Employment Acquisition of professional and extra-professional competences useful to get a more adequate first employment (graduates of fields of study with clear reference to the labour market) For graduates of fields of study with less clear reference to the labour market, the number of internships is associated with a more adequate first employment No direct effect of competences acquired in internships neither on income in the first employment nor on duration until labour market entry Professional Praktika Practicum Nutzen für in German Studium Higher und Berufseinstieg Education 14. 8th Juni June 2010 2011 22
5 Impact of Competences acquired in Internships on Labour Market Entry Influence of Internships on First Employment (continuation) Acquisition of professional and extra-professional competences important to get into contact with employers About eight percent of graduates realise their labour market entry after graduation through a contact acquired in an internship Labour market entry through contacts is associated with a shorter duration until labour market entry and a better first employment Acquisition of competences in internships also has an indirect positive effect on labour market entry Professional Praktika Practicum Nutzen für in German Studium Higher und Berufseinstieg Education 14. 8th Juni June 2010 2011 23
5 Impact of Competences acquired in Internships on Labour Market Entry Sprach- und Kulturwissenschaften (Uni ) (n Culture and language = sciences 471) (university) Sozialwissenschaften Social sciences (Uni) (university) (n = 110) Social sciences Sozialwissenschaften (university of applied (FH) sciences) (n = 269) Wirtschaftswissenschaften Economics (Uni) (university) (n = 703) Economics Wirtschaftswissenschaften (university of applied (FH) sciences) (n = 801) Mathematik und Naturwissenschaften (Uni) Mathematics/natural sciences (university) (n = 463) Mathematik und Naturwissenschaften (FH) Mathematics/natural sciences (n = 135) (univ. of apl. sc.) Ingenieurwissenschaften Engineering (Uni) (university) (n = 209) Engineering Ingenieurwissenschaften (university of applied (FH) sciences) (n = 651) 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Contact from an internship Contact from a job during studies Kontakt aus Praktikum im Studium Kontakt aus Erwerbstätigkeit im Studium andere Other contacts soziale Kontakte formale Formal ways Wege to first employment Stellenangebot/Tätigkeit Offer of a job/continuation of job aus from studies Studium fortgesetzt sonstige Wege und Selbständigkeit Other ways to first employment/self-employed Professional Praktika Practicum Nutzen für in German Studium Higher und Berufseinstieg Education 14. 8th Juni June 2010 2011 24
6 Conclusion Acquisition of competences in internships Depends primarily on assistance/support at the firm/organisation Depends strongly on duration and temporal position in the studies Depends also on field of study and position in the studies Depends also on assistance/support at university of applied sciences Effect of competences from internships on labour market entry To some extent asociated with a higher adequacy of 1st employment Neither effect on income nor on duration until first employment Competences acquired in internships important to get into contact with employers Professional Praktika Practicum Nutzen für in German Studium Higher und Berufseinstieg Education 14. 8th Juni June 2010 2011 25
Further information Sarcletti, A. (2009). Die Bedeutung von Praktika und studentischen Erwerbstätigkeiten für den Berufseinstieg. München: Bayerisches Staats- Institut für Hochschulforschung und Hochschulplanung Online available: http://www.ihf.bayern.de/?download=ihf_studien%20hochschulforschung-77.pdf Contact data: Dr. Andreas Sarcletti, HIS Hochschul-Informations-System, Goseriede 9, 30159 Hannover, Germany E-Mail: sarcletti@his.de Tel.: +49 (0) 511 1220 472 Professional Praktika Practicum Nutzen für in German Studium Higher und Berufseinstieg Education 14. 8th Juni June 2010 2011 26
Thank you for your attention! Praktika Nutzen für Studium und Berufseinstieg 14. Juni 2010 Professional Practicum in German Higher Education 8th June 2011 27