Keeping track of your career

12 January 2010

In 2009, we launched a longitudinal survey to track the careers of Trust-supported award holders. The survey will run annually, helping us to gain a better understanding of award holders’ career choices, and informing how we provide research and career support.

A number of award holders from our basic PhD studentship, Research Career Development Fellowship and International Senior Research Fellowship schemes took part in the study. Early findings show that the majority who finished a Trust award went on to find full-time work in academic research: 73 per cent of PhDs, 99 per cent of Research Career Development Fellows and 93 per cent of International Senior Research Fellows.

Award holders developed key skills and achieved key scientific outputs. The majority of those who had chosen to leave academia had moved into a career that drew on their scientific background. Participants felt positive about an academic career for its intellectual challenge, flexibility and independence, with 81 per cent of award holders saying they would recommend a career in academic research to others.

Career Tracker