International Journal of Civil Engineering and Technology (IJCIET)

Volume 9, Issue 13, December 2018, pp. 398-404, Article ID: IJCIET_09_13_039
Available online at http://www.iaeme.com/ijciet/issues.asp?JType=IJCIET&VType=9&IType=13
ISSN Print: 0976-6308 and ISSN Online: 0976-6316

© IAEME Publication Scopus Indexed

LIFE STRATEGIES OF GRADUATES OF REGIONAL

UNIVERSITIES: THE REALITY OF RUSSIAN
SOCIETY
Valentina Ivashova*
Sociological Research and Marketing Department, Stavropol State Agrarian University,
Stavropol, Russia

Vadim Goncharov
Philosophy Department, North Caucasus Federal University, Stavropol, Russia

Alexey Erokhin
Philosophy Department, North Caucasus Federal University, Stavropol, Russia

Olga Kolosova
Socio-economic and Humanitarian Disciplines Department, Stavropol branch of Krasnodar
University of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, Stavropol, Russia

Vyacheslav Berkovsky
Philosophy and Culture Studies Department, Stavropol State Pedagogical Institute, Stavropol,
Russia
*corresponding author

ABSTRACT
The article presents the comparative data of possible life strategies of students of
different areas of training, who are graduates of universities in Stavropol in 2018.
Information about the territorial professional mobility, strategic targets for the near
future after graduation allows to improve the educational programs of higher
education taking into account the ideas of graduates about the future employment in
the society.
Keywords: university graduates; employment; life plans; agricultural, economic,
pedagogical profiles of training.
Cite this Article: Valentina Ivashova, Vadim Goncharov, Alexey Erokhin, Olga
Kolosova and Vyacheslav Berkovsky, Life Strategies of Graduates of Regional
Universities: the Reality of Russian Society, International Journal of Civil Engineering
and Technology, 9(13), 2018, pp. 398–404

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 Valentina Ivashova, Vadim Goncharov, Alexey Erokhin, Olga Kolosova and Vyacheslav
Berkovsky

http://www.iaeme.com/IJCIET/issues.asp?JType=IJCIET&VType=9&IType=13

1. INTRODUCTION
The relevance of the study of employment strategies of graduates of Russian universities is due
to the responsibility of educational organizations for the results of activities, which is enshrined
in a number of regulations, including the annual monitoring of performance indicators of
universities, Federal state educational standards of higher education.
The primary task of the modern Russian University is to ensure the successful employment
of graduates, promote rapid professional adaptation and inclusion in the work [9]. It is
especially complicated to solve the problem in the conditions of subsidized Russian regions,
where the situation on the labor market does not meet the expectations of young professionals.
In this regard, the University should make every effort to ensure that the transition of the
graduate from the education system to the system of labor relations were favorable.
To solve this problem, the University should accumulate information not only about the
processes taking place in the labor market of the region, but also the strategy of graduates
regarding their employment.

2. LITERATURE REVIEW
In the article by Kuckhta, M. P. (2018) Life strategies of different age groups of Ukrainian
society in an unstable social situation the vectors of life strategies of various groups of the
population depending on the socio-economic situation in the country of residence are outlined.
Based on the study of life strategies concluded that the unfavorable social situation in Ukraine
leads to a higher level of deprivation and the choice of protective and passive strategies that do
not act as a sufficient incentive for the activation of domestic resources. Thus, the author
substantiates the conclusion about the direct impact of the socio-economic situation on the
choice of life strategies of citizens on the example of a particular country.
Canadian researchers Raby, R., Caron, C., Théwissen-LeBlanc, S., Prioletta, J., Mitchell,
C. (2018) in their study, put into question the thesis of the present-day youth passivity. The
study analyzed the topics of interest to young people on YouTube and found that the content
of the topic contradicts the accepted positions on youth civil separation, political apathy and
isolation. Instead, in the election of the theme of views can be traced diversity of their interests,
the manifestation of interaction and support of their online community. In addition, it is
articulated as a topical issue of social inequality. Thus, YouTube can become an important
platform for expressing the need and the individual's ability to communicate (Baklanov I.S.
et.al. 2015), to generate and disseminate youth initiatives and life strategies.
Researchers Shamah, D., MacTavish, K. A. (2018) in their article Purpose and Perceptions
of Family Social Location Among Rural Youth consider differences in understanding of
themselves and their experiences and life strategies in the context of rural life. Representations
of young people are structured by target groups of high, medium and low social level. It is
established that young people's understanding of the social status of their families is crucial for
the purposeful building of life strategies and development.
The authors of the article Millennial Generation's Job Search Activity and Job Quality:
Findings from the national Longitudinal Survey of Youth Bae, J., and Mowbray O. (2018) offer
the scientific community the results of the study. Its purpose is to determine the relationship
between the intensity of job search by young people, with the quality of subsequent
employment. Based on the analysis of multivariate regression models it was found that targeted
actions to find work providing salaries, paid vacation days, full-time status, regular work

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 Life Strategies of Graduates of Regional Universities: the Reality of Russian Society

schedule and availability of the trade Union contract, give a positive result of employment.
Thus, programs to assist people in the process of job search should be aimed at helping
applicants to specify life, professional, career goals.
Thus, the scientific works of modern authors confirmed the relevance of the search for
approaches to the study of life strategies of young people. It is the stage of employment and
entering into an independent life that exacerbates all the problems and contradictions of the
issues of purposeful construction of the future [8, 15, 16]. The urgency of concretization by
this social group of life, professional, career goals for successful employment is emphasized
[4, 14].
A number of papers emphasize that the starting point of purposeful building of life
strategies and development for young people is the social situation of their families and the
socio-economic situation in the country of residence [5, 11].
Purpose of the presented research work: to conduct a sociological analysis of the life plans
of graduates of the leading Universities of Stavropol Territory and to determine the strategic
targets for the near future after graduation, the possibility of territorial and professional
mobility of future young professionals – representatives of different profiles of training.

3. MATERIAL AND METHODS

Life strategies of graduates of regional universities of Russia are studied on the example of
Stavropol Territory. For comparative analysis, the data are segmented according to the profile
of training and, accordingly, the prospects for further application of the profession in the
implementation of life plans of young people and strategies to achieve their goals. In total, 897
people took part in the surveys, who are representatives of three regional universities. Data
were processed in SPSS software, version 23.

4. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Comparative analysis of students ' ideas about life plans for the near future of agricultural,
economic and pedagogical profiles of training shows the difference in the strategies of
territorial mobility of graduates (Table 1).

Table 1 – Distribution of replies to the question: "Where are you going to live after graduation?", (%)
Types of replies Areas of studies
ura

om

gic
Ag

ics
ult
ric

Ec
on

go
Pe
da

s
l

1. In the regional center 19,1 45,8 39,9

2. Town ,village where I come from 22,2 16,9 23,2
3. In another town within the territory 30,9 2,4 6,0
4. In another place within Russia 16,7 16,8 15,5
5. Abroad in neighbouring countries - - 0,6
6. Abroad in distant countries - - 2,4
7. Do not know 11,1 18,1 12,5
Source: authors’ own elaboration
45.0% of representatives of the economic profile and 39% of graduates of pedagogical
profile plan to stay in the regional center after graduation, while the proportion of
representatives of agricultural profiles of training who are going to stay in Stavropol is almost
2 times less.
The chosen option – to find a job outside the Stavropol Territory was found in the plans of
graduates of all profiles at the same level of 15-16%.

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 Valentina Ivashova, Vadim Goncharov, Alexey Erokhin, Olga Kolosova and Vyacheslav
Berkovsky

Among the differences in the strategies of territorial mobility and, accordingly, the future
employment of graduates, a higher level of uncertainty among students of economic profile
attracts attention.
A comparative analysis of the actions of graduates regarding the use of the profession in
the near future shows that for 48.8% of representatives of the pedagogical profile, have plans
related to work in the chosen area, while representatives of agricultural and economic profiles
plan not only to work in the chosen field, but also to continue their studies (Table 2).

Table 2 –Distribution of replies to the question: "What are you going to do after graduation?", (%)
Types of replies Areas of studies

ura

om

gic
Ag

ics
ult
ric

Ec
on

go
Pe
da

s
l
1. Planning to work in my area of studies 16,7 21,7 48,8
2. Planning to continue my studies 5,6 4,8 8,3
3. Planning to work and study 50,0 66,3 31,0
4. Planning to do a military service 16,7 3,6 0,6
5. Do not have definite plans 5,6 1,2 11,3
6. Other 5,6 2,4 -
Source: authors’ own elaboration
Students of final years of studies of agricultural, economic and pedagogical areas of studies
plan to look for work, resorting to the help of different agents of social influence [3]. The data
is presented in the following table (Table 3).

Table 3 – Distribution of replies to the question: "If you have to look for a job, who do you first ask
for help?", (%)
Types of replies Areas of studies
ura

om

gic
Ag

ics
ric
ult

Ec
on

go
Pe
da
l

1. Parents, relatives 37,8 44,6 22,5

2. Acknowledges, parents' friends 16,2 16,9 34,9
3. Employment center in the city, village 10,8 10,8 12,5
4. Center for employment of graduates in the University 10,8 12,0 25,0
5. Nobody, will be looking for a job independently 40,5 30,1 35,6
6. Have not thought about it 8,1 4,8 -
Source: authors’ own elaboration
Ranking of answers about the plans of graduates of agricultural area of training to seek help
in finding a job after graduation from University shows that first of all, they are going to look
for work on their own (40.5% of the number of respondents) and to seek the help of relatives
(37.8% of the number of respondents). Less significant participation in helping to find a job is
given to friends and acquaintances of parents – 16.2% of respondents plan to apply to them.
The same number of graduates plans to apply to the employment center at the place of residence
and the center for employment of graduates at the University. 8.1% of agricultural area
graduates did not think about the strategy of solving employment issues after graduation.
Almost the same priorities are set for graduate students in the economic profile of training,
except that to a greater extent they do not hope for an independent search for work, but for the
help of parents and relatives.
The strategy of job search by graduates of pedagogical profile is more different from those
strategies that are built for themselves by representatives of the other two categories. Graduate

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 Life Strategies of Graduates of Regional Universities: the Reality of Russian Society

students of pedagogical profile associate the solution of employment issues with the
independent search for solutions to this important problem at the stage of graduation (noted
35.6% of the survey participants). In addition, 34.9% of the survey participants are going to
seek the help of friends and acquaintances. For 37.5%, the strategy of future employment is
connected with the official institutions – the center for employment of graduates in the
University and the territorial center of employment (Table 4).

Table 4 – Distribution of replies to the question:" What do you think to succeed in life means?", (%)
Types of replies Areas of studies

om
Ag
ric
ult
Ec
on

go
Pe
da
1.Earn a lot of money, have a high income 40,5 36,1 36,9
2. Have all the necessary material possessions 45,9 48,2 54,8
3. Have a high social position, post 27,0 28,9 25,6
4. Enjoy significant influence in society 10,8 16,9 23,2
5. Realize your potential 32,4 55,4 65,5
6. Achieve recognition of others 18,9 14,5 23,2
7. Become famous, to achieve wide fame 5,4 2,4 8,3
8. Live without worries, enjoying its pleasure 13,5 21,7 24,4
9. Find it hard to answer 2,7 4,8 4,2
10. Other - 3,6 -
Source: authors’ own elaboration
Graduates of the following profiles – agricultural, economic, pedagogical see success in
life in a different way: future economists and educators believe that the most important thing
is to realize their potential (noted respectively 55, 4% 65,5% of the number of survey
participants), while the representatives of the agricultural profile see success in more specific
terms. To have all the necessary material benefits – mentioned by 45.9% of the survey
participants from among students of agricultural profile. In general, the first three places in
importance, but in a different order are occupied by such success targets as making a lot of
money, having a high income, having all the necessary material benefits and realizing their
abilities.

5. CONCLUSION
Based on the study of the views of students of agricultural, economic and pedagogical profiles
of possible life strategies and employment strategies, we can draw a number of conclusions:
The main share of graduates, about 70%, regardless of the profile of training plans their
employment within the Stavropol Territory. In the plans of graduates of all profiles practically
the same the option was chosen – to find a job outside the Stavropol Territory which
corresponds to 15-16% of graduates.
The strategy of job search by graduates of pedagogical profile is more different from those
strategies that are built for themselves by representatives of the other two categories. The main
difference is that, for 37.5%, the strategy of future employment is associated with the official
institutions – the center for employment of graduates in the University and the territorial center
of employment. According to the agricultural and economic profile, these job search options
are mentioned by 21.6% and 22.8% respectively.
A comparative analysis of strategies for applying the profession in the near future shows
that for every second representative of the pedagogical profile, these plans are related to work

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 Valentina Ivashova, Vadim Goncharov, Alexey Erokhin, Olga Kolosova and Vyacheslav
Berkovsky

in the area of studies, while representatives of the agricultural and economic profiles plan not
only work in the area of their studies, but also the simultaneous continuation of study [6, 10,
20].
A comparative analysis of the priority success targets for graduates of different profiles
showed that the first three places in importance were occupied by the following options: to earn
a lot of money, to have a high income; to have all the necessary material benefits; to realize
their abilities. However, if future economists and teachers have the same order of these
priorities, for the representatives of the agricultural profile material wealth and financial
income are in the first place as the material embodiment of success.
The information obtained in the course of the study is important to improve the activities
of social institutions of the modern Russian society, which responsibilities include support for
young people in the period of social maturity. Young people need to be supported with the
purposeful design of their future [12].
Monitoring studies of positive social practices of purposeful construction of the future are
important to reduce social tension in the youth environment of the region [7, 18].

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