National Graduates Survey (NGS)

Page Logic

1. Stream with only SDDS number in the parameter
• If valid SDDS, retrieve the Survey related to :
• the latest displayable Instance a Data Release time frame
• or the latest displayable Instance if a Data Release time frame does not exist
2. Stream with Instance Item_Id parameter (link via Other reference periods)
the parameters could be modified manually in the URL so validate :
• Instance is displayable
• Instance is related to the Survey

The 404 page is displayed if any validation fails in either display stream.

Survey_Item_Id=1455
Survey_Data_Id=20168
Survey_Version=3
SDDS=5012
Instance_Item_Id=6014
Instance_Data_Id=15771
Instance_Version=10

Detailed information for 2002 (class of 2000)

Survey title = Preferred (Abbreviation)
Date modified on the page = Instance ADMIN_RECORD.UpdateTime

• SURVEY.Continous_Type
• SURVEY.Frequency
• SURVEY.SDDS
• SURVEY NOTE_TERM=Purpose
• Detailed information for INSTANCE Reference Period
• INSTANCE Data Release Date
• TOC hyperlinks are Survey h3 headings and Methodology h3 and h4 headings.

This survey was designed to determine such factors as: the extent to which graduates of postsecondary programs had been successful in obtaining employment since graduation; the relationship between the graduates' programs of study and the employment subsequently obtained; the graduates' job and career satisfaction; the rates of under-employment and unemployment; the type of employment obtained related to career expectations and qualification requirements; and the influence of postsecondary education on occupational achievement.

Data release - April 26, 2004 Release from TimeFrame

• Questionnaire(s) and reporting guide(s)
• Description
• Data sources and methodology
• Data accuracy

Description logic

• Description heading = script assigned. Survey preferred TET.ItemDescription
• Statistical Activity Heading=COMPONENT_TERM.Name, Description=preferred TET.ItemDescription. DOCUMENTATION links.
• Survey Reference Period
• Survey Collection Period
• Subject Heading = script assigned. Primary CLASSIFICATION.Classification_Type=Theme CET.Tag linked to the Survey. Ordered Alphabetically.

Description

This survey was designed to determine such factors as: the extent to which graduates of postsecondary programs had been successful in obtaining employment since graduation; the relationship between the graduates' programs of study and the employment subsequently obtained; the graduates' job and career satisfaction; the rates of under-employment and unemployment; the type of employment obtained related to career expectations and qualification requirements; and the influence of postsecondary education on occupational achievement.

Each graduating class is interviewed twice: two years after graduation (National Graduates Survey) and five years after graduation (Follow-up Survey of Graduates--FOG).

Subjects

• Education, training and learning CL_Item_Id=97413 CE_Id=377 CE_StartDate=01010001 CE_Code=1821 Classification_Code=06
• Employment and unemployment CL_Item_Id=97413 CE_Id=439 CE_StartDate=01010001 CE_Code=1803 Classification_Code=06
• Fields of study CL_Item_Id=97413 CE_Id=381 CE_StartDate=01010001 CE_Code=1586 Classification_Code=06
• Labour CL_Item_Id=97413 CE_Id=438 CE_StartDate=01010001 CE_Code=2621 Classification_Code=06
• Outcomes of education CL_Item_Id=97413 CE_Id=341 CE_StartDate=01010001 CE_Code=3073 Classification_Code=06

Methodology Display Logic:
Headings=COMPONENT_TERM.Name:
Preferred TET.ItemDescription followed by an additional DOCUMENTATION link.

Items are displayed, if they exist, in the following order.
- Target population (Universe AI)
- Instrument design
- Sampling
* boiler text for SURVEY.Census_Type
- Data sources (Collection)
* includes Instance Collection period,
* boiler text for SURVEY.Direct_Type, Derived_Type and Administrative_Type fields
* link to Instrument
- Imputation (Suppress if no data release)
- Estimation (Suppress if no data release)
- Quality evaluation (Suppress if no data release)
- Disclosure control (Suppress if no data release)
- Time Series (Suppress if no data release)
- Non-response (Suppress if no data release)

Data sources and methodology

Target population

UNIVERSE_SURVEY_MAP Returned Item_Id=41023 with Displayable=1 using Query Item_Id=1455 Graduates from Canadian public postsecondary education institutions (universities, colleges, trade schools) who graduated or completed the requirements for degrees, diplomas or certificates during the reference calendar year are the targeted population for this survey. Excluded are: graduates from private postsecondary education institutions; completers of continuing-education programs (unless these led to a degree, diploma or certificate); persons who completed vocational programs lasting less than three months; persons who completed programs other than in the skilled trades (e.g. basic training and skill development); completers of provincial apprenticeship programs and those living outside of Canada or the United States at the time of the survey.

Instrument design

METHODOLOGY_AI_MAP Returned Item_Id=39382 with Displayable=1 using Query Item_Id=6014 For the most part, the questionnaire used was the same as for the previous National Graduates Survey (Class of 1995) and the Survey of Graduates Who Moved to the United States (SGMUS, record number 4436). Where new questions were introduced, they were designed in consultation with questionnaire design specialists and testing was done with focus groups.

Sampling

This is a sample survey with a cross-sectional design and a longitudinal follow-up.

METHODOLOGY_AI_MAP Returned Item_Id=38864 with Displayable=1 using Query Item_Id=6014 The sample plan is a non-replacement stratified random plan including systematic selection of graduates within strata where graduates were previously sorted by program. Stratification is based on establishment province, level of certification and field of study. Sample units refer to persons living in Canada or in the United States who, in the year 2000, received or met the requirements for a certificate, diploma or degree awarded by a recognized Canadian postsecondary learning institution. The purpose of the plan is to meet the overall survey requirements and the specific needs of external clients.

Data sources

Data collection for this reference period: 2002-05-15 to 2002-08-23

Responding to this survey is voluntary.

Data are collected directly from survey respondents.

METHODOLOGY_AI_MAP Returned Item_Id=38784 with Displayable=1 using Query Item_Id=6014 Computer-assisted telephone interviews were conducted with graduates living in Canada or in the United States.

View the Questionnaire(s) and reporting guide(s) .

Error detection

METHODOLOGY_AI_MAP Returned Item_Id=37524 with Displayable=1 using Query Item_Id=6014 For quantitative variables such as financial variables, editing which includes outlier detection and imputation was performed. These variables include reported information on personal income and student loans. Graduates' reported values were distributed into groups based on field of study, level of certification and preferred mode of reporting data where applicable. Values reported beyond a number of standard deviations away from the median of the group (typically greater than 6) were identified as potential outliers. These cases were then manually investigated in order to confirm their outlier status. In light of other information from the respondent, these investigations revealed that the outlier cases were actually highly implausible values.

Imputation

METHODOLOGY_AI_MAP Returned Item_Id=38868 with Displayable=1 using Query Item_Id=6014 Values identified by outlier detection were replaced by the median value of the group.

Estimation

METHODOLOGY_AI_MAP Returned Item_Id=36780 with Displayable=1 using Query Item_Id=6014 The chosen technique for adjusting for non-response is based on Response Homogeneous Groups (RHG). RHG are developed with the premise of identifying sample units with similar response probabilities. In other words, it is assumed that graduates pertaining to a given RHG are equally likely to respond to the survey in a similar fashion. Many factors, among them gender and age traditionally are known to be factors associated with different non-response patterns. Analyses were completed and as a result of these, RHGs were identified. The implementation, i.e. the calculation of the adjustment was carried out using Statistics Canada Generalized Estimation System (GES) two-phase approach. This approach also ensures the proper variance formula is used.

Quality evaluation

METHODOLOGY_AI_MAP Returned Item_Id=39383 with Displayable=1 using Query Item_Id=6014 Data was confronted with other published sources such as Census data, the Labour Force Survey (LFS, record number 3701), the Postsecondary Student Information System (PSIS, record number 5017), the Survey of Graduates Who Moved to the United States (SGMUS, record number 4436) and previous National Graduates Survey (NGS) releases.

Disclosure control

METHODOLOGY_AI_MAP Returned Item_Id=38100 with Displayable=1 using Query Item_Id=6014 Statistics Canada is prohibited by law from releasing any information it collects that could identify any person, business, or organization, unless consent has been given by the respondent or as permitted by the Statistics Act. Various confidentiality rules are applied to all data that are released or published to prevent the publication or disclosure of any information deemed confidential. If necessary, data are suppressed to prevent direct or residual disclosure of identifiable data.

In order to prevent any data disclosure, confidentiality analysis is done using the Statistics Canada Generalized Disclosure Control System (G-Confid). G-Confid is used for primary suppression (direct disclosure) as well as for secondary suppression (residual disclosure). Direct disclosure occurs when the value in a tabulation cell is composed of or dominated by few enterprises while residual disclosure occurs when confidential information can be derived indirectly by piecing together information from different sources or data series.

Revisions and seasonal adjustment

METHODOLOGY_AI_MAP Returned Item_Id=38569 with Displayable=1 using Query Item_Id=6014 This methodology does not apply to this survey.

Display logic after methodology:
- Data Accuracy
- Documentation links with Preferred name, description related to the Survey and Instance
- Datafile

Data accuracy

METHODOLOGY_AI_MAP Returned Item_Id=36779 with Displayable=1 using Query Item_Id=6014 The sample can be divided into two components: the core sample and the supplementary sample. The core sample is designed to yield estimates of a minimal proportion of 5.5% with a maximum CV of 16.5% for any marginal in the NGS. A marginal is defined as i) a given field of study regardless of the province of institution; or ii) a given province of institution regardless of the field of study; and that for each of the levels of certification. The additional sample units were purchased by provincial agencies in order to supplement their base sample so that better levels of reliability could be attained for their province. The additional sample was allocated in such a manner as to meet the reliability requirements specified by these provinces.

In all, 38,483 usable interviews were obtained from the initial sample of 61,558, from which 2,898 units were deemed out-of-scope, for a response rate of 65.6%.