Employment of geography study graduates in Latvia

Elina Apsite-Berina

University of Latvia, Faculty of Geography and Earth Sciences

Ieva Jegermane

University of Latvia, Faculty of Geography and Earth Sciences

Girts Burgmanis

University of Latvia, Faculty of Geography and Earth Sciences

Maris Berzins

University of Latvia, Faculty of Geography and Earth Sciences

Gunta Kalvane

University of Latvia, Faculty of Geography and Earth Sciences

DOI: 10.22364/fg.20.2.6

Keywords: geography studies, employment, labour market, competences, higher education

Abstract

Geography is an interdisciplinary field that explores human-nature interactions. Critical thinking and a knowledge of diverse interrelations are required for the study of geography. Geography graduates must be adaptable and quick learners in order to meet the needs of a continuously changing employment market. The aim of this paper is to investigate the nature of employment for geography graduates. The paper gives an overview of the field of geography and labour market demand for geography graduates. This study is based on the data of the 2021 census, labour market data from the Ministry of Economics, monitoring data from the Ministry of Education and Science on graduates in 2017–2020, and also State Revenue Service data on occupations. The findings demonstrate that higher levels of education lead to better job chances. Graduates of geography study programmes receive qualifications that allow them to work in science-intensive sectors of the economy, such as the professional, scientific, and technical services sector of the quaternary economy.