Employment status and job satisfaction of selected graduates, College of Fisheries, Indonesia

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine selected factors affecting employment status and overall job satisfaction of graduates of two academic departments, the Department of Fishing Techniques and the Department of Marine Fisheries Engineering, of the College of Fisheries in Indonesia. The population of 260 graduates of the College of Fisheries was studied from May 1990 to August 1990. A sample of 155 graduates of the two departments' classes of 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, and 1988 was chosen using a random sampling technique. Data were collected by means of a self-administered questionnaire. A pilot test of the instrument was conducted prior to the main study. Revised survey instruments were sent by mail directly to respondents from the U.S.A. Data were analyzed using descriptive, comparative, and correlational statistics. The major findings were as follows: 1. The majority of the graduates worked in the governmental sector, mostly as full-time employees. Only about one-eighth (12.99%) were working in the private sector. 2. Fewer than one-third of the graduates were working on board fishing vessels; the majority were working onshore holding various positions such as technical staff, teacher, machine operator, and agricultural extension agent. 3. Positive low correlations were found between questions about perceptions toward selected aspects of educational programs at the College of Fisheries and the overall job satisfaction of the graduates. Positive correlations were also found between 20 job-related factors and overall job satisfaction. 4. All graduates reported either a high degree of overall job satisfaction or a moderate degree of overall job satisfaction. None reported a low degree of overall job satisfaction. 5. Single graduates reported a higher degree of overall job satisfaction than did married graduates, while graduates who held jobs related to their fields of study reported a higher degree of overall of job satisfaction than did graduates who held jobs not related to their fields of study. 6. A majority of the graduates had not changed their jobs in the previous three years; only about one third of all graduates had changed their jobs within the same period. 7. Most of the graduates had problems upon becoming employed after graduation; only 25 out of 77 reported that they had not encountered any major problems.