Views on the Usefulness of the PhD Outside Academia: What Do We Know and Need to Know?

The post-PhD labour market is undergoing constant change, influenced by new technologies and national and institutional expectations for competitiveness. This is true regardless of the labour sector—academic, public, para-public or private. While post-PhD careers in the academic sector have been well studied, there is minimal research about PhD graduates in other labour sectors. Yet, understanding the nature and quality of post-PhD careers outside academia is a pressing issue given more than half of PhD graduates work there. In this chapter, I synthesise what we know and don’t know about the perceived usefulness of the PhD beginning with (a) the influence of the PhD on post-PhD outcomes, (b) PhD graduates’ perceptions of the value of the PhD and (c) non-academic employers’ views as to PhD work preparedness. While effectively researching this issue is complex, I argue for a more fine-grained systematic research agenda, concluding with recommendations for future research.