Tracer studies are commonly conducted across Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) worldwide to provide feedback to inform decisions for improving studies/training or for research on the relationship between education and work. In keeping with this, the College of Science in April 2023 commissioned a committee to coordinate tracer studies in the College and to build a database of its past students. This report is the outcome of the activities of the College Tracer Committee and in particular the findings of the first-ever formal tracer studies in the College of Science.

This online survey targeted alumni who completed their studies between 2011 and 2021. The survey instrument was created using Google Forms, and consisted of 41 questions covering several thematic areas including history of employment and current status, income levels, relationship of job to course of study, academic pathways being pursued, College of Science experiences, and recommendations for continuous improvement. With the help of the University Information and Technology Service (UITS), bulk text messages (SMS) containing a link and a QR code to the Google Form were sent to 11000 graduates within the specified target group.

The link and the QR code were also shared on various alumni WhatsApp platforms. A total of 1192 graduates responded to the invitation, giving a response rate of 10.8%. Descriptive analyses were performed on the data obtained following screening to remove duplicate entries and identification of key thematic areas. Results were analyzed at three levels – College, Faculty and Department. Key findings of the study are summarized below according to the identified thematic areas:

Key findings of the study are summarized below according to the identified thematic areas:
Demographic characteristics: The study recorded a total of 1153 valid responses, with approximately 50% from each of the two faculties. However, the distribution of the respondents across the departments was not balance, with Meteorology and Climate Science, Optometry and Visual Science as well as Food Science and Technology, together accounting for only 6.8% of the total number. Males constituted 72% of the respondents. Majority of the respondents (61%) completed between the 2017/2018 and 2020/2021 academic years, and were mostly BSc degree holders (84%). Many of these respondents chose their programme of study based on personal interest (50%) or recommendation by a family member or a professional (24%). 

Employment status: Approximately 67% of the respondents were employed (mostly as fulltime or permanent employees) at the time of the survey, with nearly half of the remaining pursuing further studies. In the Faculty of Biosciences (FB) Optometry and Visual Science recorded the highest employment rate (85%), whereas Computer Science (80%) topped in the Faculty of Physical and Computational Sciences (FPCS). More graduates from Theoretical and Applied Biology (25%) and Biochemistry and Biotechnology (24%) were pursuing postgraduate studies than those from the other departments in the College. 

Commencement of job search: Most of the respondents started their job search within a year after completing National Service, although some started earlier. 

Income levels and position at work: More than 80% of the respondents were either at the entry level or supervisory level at the places of work. Nearly half of these workers received between GH¢2500 and GH¢5000 (or $167 - $333 per month at an exchange rate of $1 to GH¢15). Slight variations were observed in the levels of income received by graduates from the various departments; more than 50% of graduates from Computer Science, and Optometry and Visual Science received a monthly salary of GH¢5000 or more, whereas only under 20% of alumni from Meteorology and Climate Science, and Food Science and Technology were paid equivalent amount. In general, the rank of the graduates and the salary received increased with the level of certification earned after school. 

Biographic information: At the College level, respondents worked in diverse fields/sectors of the country’s economy. Key fields/sectors included academia/educational institution (27%), service (20%), public/civil service (11%), manufacturing (11%), finance (7%), health (7%) and IT/Communication (6%). These array of fields/sectors reflect the diverse nature of the programmes and the broad opportunities offered to graduates from the College. Biographic characteristics of graduates differed somewhat among the departments depending on the nature of the programme. 

Current academic pathways: About 50% of the alumni who were unemployed at the time of the survey were pursuing various academic pathways, mostly postgraduate studies. Interesting majority of the graduates who were not pursuing postgraduate studies in the FB were actually enrolled in new undergraduate programmes, whereas their counterparts from the FPCS followed professional courses.  

Relations between jobs and programme of study: About 68% of the respondents indicated that their first jobs were related to their programme of study. Variations existed in this regard at the departmental level. For example, 100% of the respondents in the department of Optometry and Visual Science indicated that their jobs were related to their programme of study whereas all their counterparts from Meteorology and Climate Science claimed otherwise.  

Competencies required for the job market: For both recruitment and the actual work, respondents highlighted the importance of key competencies such as critical thinking, academic background, ability to improvise, willingness to take orders, ability to work in teams, practical skills, attention to details and communication skills. These skillsets were considered “very important” by almost 70% of the respondents. Interestingly, a greater majority of the respondents (70%) confirmed acquiring these competencies whilst in schools.  

Internship opportunities: Close to 80% of all respondents had internship opportunities whilst studying at the College. The values were higher for the FB than in the FPCS, where more than 30% of the graduates did not have internship opportunities in three of the six departments. 

Level of Satisfaction: Results indicated a high level of satisfaction among most of the College’s graduate surveyed, with 72% of them revealing that their expectations were “somewhat met” to “full met”. The level of satisfaction differed slightly among the departments, with Optometry and Visual Science (85%) recording the highest value, whereas Statistics and Actuarial Science had the highest proportion of those whose expectations were “slightly met” to “not met at all”. 

Recommendation of programme and university: An overwhelming majority (>96%) of the respondents would recommend the University and programmes to others. The reasons for this high approval rate include the conducive learning environment offered by the university, its high reputation among higher education institutions, stellar faculty, the opportunities it offers for holistic development, and promotion of diversity and inclusion. Despite these, some respondents expressed concerns about the lack of job opportunities upon completion, inadequate practical experience, lack of career guidance, large class sizes, lack of commitment from some lecturers, etc. 

In general, the findings of this study demonstrate the quality and comprehensive nature of training in the College of Science that offers graduates diverse opportunities in the job market. The feedback and recommendations from the study can be useful for improving curricula development and teaching methodologies across the departments in the College in order to enhance the learning experience of students.