Gathering the Real Data from Creative Industries Graduates One Year Out

Abstract

University student outcome data in Australia is collected via the Graduate Destination Survey component of the Australian Graduate Survey at the referent date three months post-graduation. This timeline gives consideration to graduates to enter directly into traditional vocations. For graduates from non-traditional areas and/or with non-traditional career structures, three months is insufficient to get a true picture of their portfolio, protean or boundaryless-style careers. The Careers and Employment service at the Queensland University of Technology collaborated with the Creative Industries Faculty to collect data from their graduates 12 months after graduation. The outcomes reflected a wide range of career structures entered into by Creative Industries students and was compared to general outcome data for graduates. The data was particularly useful for students, career counselors and faculty career programs. A further, more refined process will be extended to another non-traditional career group in the following year.