Career Prospects

The Fachhochschule Ottersberg, together in close cooperation with the HIS GmbH (Higher Education Information System Ltd), employed an elaborate procedure to develop a questionnaire which was then sent to 517 persons who had graduated over the last five years. Of the 336 questionnaires which reached those persons concerned, 214 were filled in and returned, a result which can be considered as both good and representative.

The 2001 survey

1. Of the 336 questioned, 66.7% completed and returned the questionnaire
2. Percentage employed: 68.1% after six months, 83.9% after one year
3. Percentage unemployed: 8.1% after one year.

The graduates from three different faculties were asked to provide answers to a total of 13 questions pertaining to different aspects of their work. The responses were: art therapy / fine arts 66.7%, performing arts 58.3% and fine arts 28.6%.
An analysis showed clearly that not only is the proportion of female students very high, but also two thirds of all beginners had already completed an apprenticeship - usually in the social and health services, as well as the fields of art and skilled crafts.
 
The general acceptance of the education is reflected by the fact that 83.9% of all graduates had found employment one year after completion of their studies, of which approximately half as employees. Of the remainder, the majority were active in the subject they had studied, whilst others were active in social, educational and health services related work. In total, about one quarter of therapeutic fine arts graduates are employed in hospitals. Only 8.1% of those questioned were without work.

The employment situation for the performing arts graduates indicates that efforts will have to be made to promote professional integration. On the other hand, the results showed that a wider range of social services have an increasing requirement for the performing arts. It is worth noting that 11 out of 14 answers analysed showed that the graduates found employment in the subject they had studied.

Due to the low number of graduates, no representative conclusions could be drawn for the Fine Arts. However, nationwide figures show that only 5% can support themselves as a freelance artist, and also Ottersberg graduates live from a combination of “job and art”. The results show that the monthly income for the first and second jobs is EUR 1,730 and  EUR 1,735 respectively.
 
A comparison of the overall result with the 1995 survey, showed no great deviations. At that time, deficits were determined in the area of practical training. The Fachhochschule has meanwhile made substantial efforts to eliminate these, and has included additional developments in the Structural Development Plan 2000. One of the consequences has been the introduction of a trimester dedicated to vocational practice, and an extension of the range of practically-oriented scientific subjects on offer. The Work Placement Information Centre, with more than 200 contacts throughout Germany, has proved to be very successful. The work placement plays a valuable role in assisting the graduates find their first jobs.

The survey shows that 14% of art therapy / fine arts graduates got their first job through the work placement, 46.5% found a job through answering situations vacant advertisements, while 21.5% got jobs by contacting potential employers directly. The proportion of those who became self-employed is relatively high namely 14%. This was most popular for graduates of the courses Art Therapy / Performing Arts and Art Therapy / Fine Arts. The relatively low number of unemployed art therapy graduates reflects that artistic creation plays increasingly a more important role in modern-day society, due to its compensating function and, at the same time, the possibility it provides for people to shape their own lives and social environments.

On commenting about the result and the evaluation of the survey, the HIS Institute particularly emphasised the high response to the survey, and pointed out that this reflects former students’ close bonds with the Fachhochschule.
With respect to job opportunities for art therapists, the Institute drew particular attention to the growing demand for specialists to work with senior citizens.
This is an important area for fundamental empirical research and stock-taking, together with a scientific analysis of the impact of art therapy on the process of life.
 
The Institute highly praised the Fachhochschule’s objective to intensify the connection between theoretically-oriented and practically-oriented seminars, and that in this respect Ottersberg stands out compared to other colleges and universities. It was recommended to develop correspondingly appropriate concepts.
In general, the survey report’s objective interpretation of the results, as well as its highlighting of problem areas was received positively by the HIS Institute and, at the same time, seen as encouragement to continue following it objectives.

The following summarises the central points for the courses Art Therapy / Art Pedagogy as well as Performing Arts:

Year of graduation 1996 – 2000