What about my future career after the pandemic? SARS-CoV-2 and distance learning in the evaluation of future professional opportunities

Abstract

In this article we present the results of a survey among 556 Polish university students, conducted in the summer of 2020 using an online CAWI survey questionnaire method. We investigated whether the students perceived that the transition to distance learning during the pandemic period had changed their future career prospects. The survey shows a distinct influence of the university (and its support) and the course of study on the students’ assessment of their career prospects. In addition, the results of exploratory factor analysis, multiple linear regression, and logistic regression indicate that attractive and engaging distance learning bolsters the students’ belief in their perceived value on the labor market. Notably, the students perceived the pandemic as an important structural factor that went beyond individual biographies. The students’ assessment of how the pandemic is changing the economy was an important predictor of how they perceived their chances on the job market.