Many Russians possessing higher education degrees are now changing their specializations. The majority of them are seeking additional education in order to increase their competitiveness in the job market.
According to a survey conducted by Begin Group, an international advertising service for educational institutions, only about 37% of respondents worked in a field directly related to their original degree. Forty-one percent worked in a position not at all related and 22% were employed in a field that was indirectly related.
The most highly sought-after fields of study that Russians are choosing for their additional education are economics and management (57% of those surveyed), marketing and PR (20%), and banking and finance (18%). In addition, 16% are pursuing training in technology and IT sectors.
Those respondents who made the decision to pursue additional education and training are choosing varied programs. Foreign languages accounted for 41%, short-term vocational school programs for 25%, MBA programs for 24%, post-graduate programs for 21%, professional retraining courses for 14%, and graduate degree programs for 14%.
Most respondents decided to pursue additional education while still perusing their first degree. Around 41% of Russians who were accepted into such programs were either still in their first program or graduated less than a year prior. About 32% of respondents planning to receive additional education made the decision to do so in their first or second years of their first programs.
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