STEM PhD holders working outside academia: the role of social support in career transition

This paper explores the role of social support in career transition experiences among science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) PhD holders working outside academia. Inter-country interview data were collected from PhD graduates from the UK (n = 10), Spain (n = 10) and Finland (n = 10) in 2022. Though the results varied somewhat by individual, they show that both engaging and disengaging experiences were socially embedded. Receiving instrumental support, e.g. time or funding, was a key factor in engaging transition experiences and the lack of it in the disengaging ones. Job stability, work-life relationships, personal values, the work environment, work-task fit, and finances contributed to the engaging and disengaging transition experiences across the countries. This paper is one of the first qualitative studies focusing on STEM PhD holders’ social support and (dis)engaging transition experiences to a career beyond academia in a cross-national setting. The findings help to understand better STEM PhD holders’ experiences beyond academia. The results can be used in doctoral education and PhD careers’ development.