School-to-Work Transition of Engineering graduates and PhDs in France: which consequences from a new tax credit for employers who hire young PhD graduates?

Abstract

International audienceFrench governments have taken many initiatives towards strengthening the employability of PhD graduates in the private sector. The "Young Doctors Program" (DJD) was introduced in 1999 in order to encourage R&D employers to hire recent PhD graduates by atargeted measure of the Research Tax Credit. Since 2008, it has provided a substantial cost reduction if firms recruit recent PhD graduates. Our research seeks to address the positive impact of this program by examining the consequences such cost reduction have on the beginning of the careers of PhDs and graduates in engineering. Data from two national follow-up surveys conducted in 2007 and 2013 are analyzed to determine the potential positive impact of this DJD reform, using survival analysis models. Our results show that the speed for reaching stable employment for PhD graduates increased compared to engineers, especially in small firms