The Crucible of Crisis: Early-Career Academics’ Struggle and Strength in the Shadow of the Pandemic

This study explores how early-career academics develop professionally and advance their careers during their initial years, shaping their career trajectories. Concerns regarding the stability of the academic workforce have escalated since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2019. Employing a qualitative phenomenological design, ten educational sciences academics from various universities, serving as research assistants or doctoral faculty members, participated in the study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to gather data and subsequently analysed thematically. The findings highlight the complex transition from graduate student to independent academic roles, characterised by increased teaching responsibilities, institutional changes, job security concerns, and a significant rise in workload. The study also reveals a lack of adequate institutional support, particularly concerning financial aspects, exacerbating these challenges. However, some participants utilised the pandemic to enhance their academic engagement through international partnerships and online lectures. The study emphasises how institutional support facilitates the independence of young scholars and that adapting to new academic engagements is beneficial during crises.