View in EDS

PhD Employability beyond Academia: An Analysis of Industry Skills Emphasis through a Cultural Capital Lens

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: PhD Employability beyond Academia: An Analysis of Industry Skills Emphasis through a Cultural Capital Lens
Language: English
Authors: Li'An Chen, Inger Mewburn (ORCID 0000-0003-0683-5255), Hanna Suominen (ORCID 0000-0002-4195-1641), Will Grant (ORCID 0000-0001-9674-6488)
Source: Higher Education Research and Development. 2026 45(1):81-99.
Availability: Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 19
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Doctoral Programs, Graduates, Educational Attainment, Job Skills, Employment Potential, Research Skills, Employment Opportunities, Job Search Methods, Soft Skills, Health Occupations, Information Technology, Professional Occupations
Geographic Terms: Australia, New Zealand
DOI: 10.1080/07294360.2025.2515212
ISSN: 0729-4360
1469-8366
Abstract: PhD graduate employability is crucial for candidates, employers, and governments. Having PhD graduates in appropriate post-study employment enhances career satisfaction, benefits organisations, and fosters national prosperity. Over the past decade, debate has arisen regarding the effectiveness of doctoral employability training and the broader economic value of doctoral education beyond academia. This concern stems from evidence indicating that many PhD graduates struggle to secure academic positions and must seek work elsewhere. Despite financial advantages of a PhD, graduates often feel alienated in industrial cultures. This study investigates the concept of 'generic skills' in PhD employability through a sociological lens, informed by the theoretical frameworks of 'cultural iceberg' and 'habitus'. It explores the impact of industry-specific cultural norms on skill demand. Employing a culturally sensitive linguistic analysis of 1,800 research-intensive job ads from Australia and New Zealand, it reveals quantitative and qualitative differences in skill demands across healthcare and Information Technology. For example, comparatively, networking skills are more sought after in the former than the latter industry. Distinct guiding values shape skill demands and define what constitutes 'culturally appropriate' skill implementations. Our findings call for a rethinking of one-size-fits-all employability training, urging universities to offer more nuanced, context-specific instruction in 'generic' skills.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1503676
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
Header DbId: eric
DbLabel: ERIC
An: EJ1503676
AccessLevel: 3
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: PhD Employability beyond Academia: An Analysis of Industry Skills Emphasis through a Cultural Capital Lens
– Name: Language
  Label: Language
  Group: Lang
  Data: English
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Li'An+Chen%22">Li'An Chen</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Inger+Mewburn%22">Inger Mewburn</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0683-5255">0000-0003-0683-5255</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Hanna+Suominen%22">Hanna Suominen</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4195-1641">0000-0002-4195-1641</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Will+Grant%22">Will Grant</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9674-6488">0000-0001-9674-6488</externalLink>)
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Higher+Education+Research+and+Development%22"><i>Higher Education Research and Development</i></searchLink>. 2026 45(1):81-99.
– Name: Avail
  Label: Availability
  Group: Avail
  Data: Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
– Name: PeerReviewed
  Label: Peer Reviewed
  Group: SrcInfo
  Data: Y
– Name: Pages
  Label: Page Count
  Group: Src
  Data: 19
– Name: DatePubCY
  Label: Publication Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2026
– Name: TypeDocument
  Label: Document Type
  Group: TypDoc
  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
– Name: Audience
  Label: Education Level
  Group: Audnce
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Higher+Education%22">Higher Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Postsecondary+Education%22">Postsecondary Education</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Descriptors
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Doctoral+Programs%22">Doctoral Programs</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Graduates%22">Graduates</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Attainment%22">Educational Attainment</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Job+Skills%22">Job Skills</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Employment+Potential%22">Employment Potential</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Research+Skills%22">Research Skills</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Employment+Opportunities%22">Employment Opportunities</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Job+Search+Methods%22">Job Search Methods</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Soft+Skills%22">Soft Skills</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Health+Occupations%22">Health Occupations</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Information+Technology%22">Information Technology</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Professional+Occupations%22">Professional Occupations</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Geographic Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Australia%22">Australia</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22New+Zealand%22">New Zealand</searchLink>
– Name: DOI
  Label: DOI
  Group: ID
  Data: 10.1080/07294360.2025.2515212
– Name: ISSN
  Label: ISSN
  Group: ISSN
  Data: 0729-4360<br />1469-8366
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: PhD graduate employability is crucial for candidates, employers, and governments. Having PhD graduates in appropriate post-study employment enhances career satisfaction, benefits organisations, and fosters national prosperity. Over the past decade, debate has arisen regarding the effectiveness of doctoral employability training and the broader economic value of doctoral education beyond academia. This concern stems from evidence indicating that many PhD graduates struggle to secure academic positions and must seek work elsewhere. Despite financial advantages of a PhD, graduates often feel alienated in industrial cultures. This study investigates the concept of 'generic skills' in PhD employability through a sociological lens, informed by the theoretical frameworks of 'cultural iceberg' and 'habitus'. It explores the impact of industry-specific cultural norms on skill demand. Employing a culturally sensitive linguistic analysis of 1,800 research-intensive job ads from Australia and New Zealand, it reveals quantitative and qualitative differences in skill demands across healthcare and Information Technology. For example, comparatively, networking skills are more sought after in the former than the latter industry. Distinct guiding values shape skill demands and define what constitutes 'culturally appropriate' skill implementations. Our findings call for a rethinking of one-size-fits-all employability training, urging universities to offer more nuanced, context-specific instruction in 'generic' skills.
– Name: AbstractInfo
  Label: Abstractor
  Group: Ab
  Data: As Provided
– Name: DateEntry
  Label: Entry Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2026
– Name: AN
  Label: Accession Number
  Group: ID
  Data: EJ1503676
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ1503676
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1080/07294360.2025.2515212
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 19
        StartPage: 81
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Doctoral Programs
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Graduates
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Educational Attainment
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Job Skills
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Employment Potential
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Research Skills
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Employment Opportunities
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Job Search Methods
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Soft Skills
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Health Occupations
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Information Technology
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Professional Occupations
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Australia
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: New Zealand
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: PhD Employability beyond Academia: An Analysis of Industry Skills Emphasis through a Cultural Capital Lens
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Li'An Chen
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Inger Mewburn
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Hanna Suominen
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Will Grant
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 01
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 0729-4360
            – Type: issn-electronic
              Value: 1469-8366
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 45
            – Type: issue
              Value: 1
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Higher Education Research and Development
              Type: main
ResultId 1