PhD employability beyond academia: an analysis of industry skills emphasis through a cultural capital lens

PhD graduate employability is crucial for candidates, employers, and governments. Having PhD graduates in appropriate post-study employment enhances career satisfaction, benefits organisations, and fosters national prosperity. Over the past decade, debate has arisen regarding the effectiveness of doctoral employability training and the broader economic value of doctoral education beyond academia. This concern stems from evidence indicating that many PhD graduates struggle to secure academic positions and must seek work elsewhere. Despite financial advantages of a PhD, graduates often feel alienated in industrial cultures. This study investigates the concept of ‘generic skills’ in PhD employability through a sociological lens, informed by the theoretical frameworks of ‘cultural iceberg’ and ‘habitus’. It explores the impact of industry-specific cultural norms on skill demand. Employing a culturally sensitive linguistic analysis of 1,800 research-intensive job ads from Australia and New Zealand, it reveals quantitative and qualitative differences in skill demands across healthcare and Information Technology. For example, comparatively, networking skills are more sought after in the former than the latter industry. Distinct guiding values shape skill demands and define what constitutes ‘culturally appropriate’ skill implementations. Our findings call for a rethinking of one-size-fits-all employability training, urging universities to offer more nuanced, context-specific instruction in ‘generic’ skills.