This article is published in the June 2024 issue.

CERP Infographic: Where Are They Now? Exploring the Career Paths of Past Participants of Grad Cohort for IDEALS and Grad Cohort for Women

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By Eniola Idowu, Research Associate, CERP

The CRA-WP’s Grad Cohort for Women (GCW) and Grad Cohort for IDEALS (GC-IDEALS) workshops have significantly influenced the career trajectories of their participants. CERP summarized the career advancement of past GCW and GC-IDEALS attendees who have successfully earned their Master’s or Doctoral degrees using Data Buddies Surveys data (2018-2023), providing an overview of their current employment setting and position levels.

alt="Data table presenting a summary of the employment and position levels of past Grad Cohort participants who responded to annual follow-up Data Buddies Surveys (2018-2023)"

As shown in the infographics, 76 survey respondents who indicated their past participation in any of the Grad Cohort workshops (GC-IDEALS (n =27) and GCW (n=49)) provided their current employment information. Key findings highlight the following: 

  • Over half of the past participants in both Grad Cohorts indicated they were currently working in the industry sector, followed by 36 percent of GCW participants and 30 percent of IDEALS participants working in academia. 
  • Surprisingly, we observed a higher percentage of past GC-IDEALS participants (15%) in government positions compared to GCW past participants (8%). 
  • At the position level stage, 45 percent of past GCW participants are in mid-level positions, while 22 percent of IDEALS participants hold senior-level roles. 

Overall, both Grad Cohort workshops have been successful in providing continued support and professional development, equipping graduate students for diverse career paths and supporting their transition into the computing research workforce.

Notes: 

  • The survey data analyzed for this infographic were collected by the Center for Evaluating the Research Pipeline via Data Buddies Project (2018-2023). 
  • Past Grad Cohort participants indicated if they earned their master’s or doctoral degree and if they participated in any of the Grad Cohort Workshops. 
    • Respondents answered to the following question, “In which setting do you currently work in?” and “Which career level best describes your current position?”

 

This analysis is brought to you by the CRA’s Center for Evaluating the Research Pipeline (CERP). CERP provides social science research and comparative evaluation for the computing community. Subscribe to the CERP newsletter here. Check out CERP’s activities and find out how to engage on CERP’s website.

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under grant numbers, CNS-1246649/ CNS 1840724. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.