Exploring the Foundations for Successful Transition: Trends in Commencing Australian Students’ Understanding of their Education-Employment Pathways

Abstract

Understanding students’ expectations of university study is a foundational requirement for successful transition practice. However, research regarding students’ knowledge of the education-employment pathways they are about to commence remains limited. Exploratory research has shown that many Australian university students have limited or inaccurate knowledge about how to reach their career goals and that levels of student knowledge vary across course type rather than demographic group. The present study expands upon this work to determine whether such patterns are consistent over time by using survey responses from 1096 commencing university students over a four-year period. Key findings show that most patterns are consistent over time, and that students commencing specific courses may be at greater risk of having limited or inaccurate knowledge than others. This research provides a strong foundation for universities seeking to support students from different courses as they transition into and through university.