BrainMap

Mrs. Maria-Carmen Pantea

Professor

Professor - UNIVERSITATEA BABES BOLYAI

Other affiliations

Member of the Advisory Group of the Pool of European Youth Researchers (2020-2025) - EU-CoE Youth Partnership. (Belgium)

Member of the EC Expert Group on Quality Investment in Education and Training (2021-2022) - European Commission (Belgium)

Researcher | Teaching staff | Scientific reviewer | PhD supervisor

Professor at UBB, Department of Social Work. Member of the European Commission expert group on Quality Investment in Education and Training (2021-2022). Member of the Advisory group of the EU-CoE Pool of European Youth Researchers (2020-2025). PhD in Sociology (UBB), MSc in Evidence based social Interventions (Oxford), MA with Merit in Gender Studies (CEU).

Curriculum Vitae (06/07/2026)

Expertise & keywords

Opportunities and constraints for career development of non-STEM graduates: A mixed method approach Call name: P 4 - Proiecte de cercetare exploratorie - PCE-2021
PN-III-P4-PCE-2021-0366 2022 - 2024

Role in this project:

Coordinating institution: UNIVERSITATEA BABES BOLYAI

Project partners: UNIVERSITATEA BABES BOLYAI (RO)

Affiliation:

Project website: https://socasis.ubbcluj.ro/proiecte/opportunities-and-constraints-for-career-development-of-non-stem-graduates-a-mixed-method-approach/

Abstract:

In the current knowledge economy, the career paths of graduates from Social Sciences and Humanities (non-STEM) are insufficiently understood. In recent decades, Romania became a popular nearshoring location, due to its large youth population, low labour costs, language capabilities and digital skills. Due to its labour-intensive nature, business services sector (BSS) became a major provider of jobs for non-STEM graduates. However, at different moments in time, companies conceptualize ‘career development’ differently, have different career paths accessible to the new entrants and promote different narratives of success. The research will be informed by the opportunity structure theory and by an analysis of BSS through the lenses of business administration within a dependent market economy. Based on a mixed method design (over 100 in-depth interviews and questionnaires filled by 1000 graduates), this project will map retrospectively, the ‘opportunity structures’ enabling career advancement and the meanings attached to it by different actors. The goal is to refine our understanding of processes shaping the ‘employability’ of non-STEM graduates in Romania.

Opportunities and constraints for career development of non-STEM graduates: A mixed method approach Call name:
PN-III-P4-PCE-2021-0366 2022 - 2024

Role in this project: Project coordinator

Coordinating institution: UNIVERSITATEA BABES BOLYAI

Project partners: UNIVERSITATEA BABES BOLYAI ()

Affiliation: UNIVERSITATEA BABES BOLYAI ()

Project website: https://socasis.ubbcluj.ro/proiecte/opportunities-and-constraints-for-career-development-of-non-stem-graduates-a-mixed-method-approach/

Abstract:

In the current knowledge economy, the career paths of graduates from Social Sciences and Humanities (non-STEM) are insufficiently understood. In recent decades, Romania became a popular nearshoring location, due to its large youth population, low labour costs, language capabilities and digital skills. However, at different moments in time, companies conceptualize ‘career development’ differently, have different career paths accessible to the new entrants and promote different narratives of success. The project is informed by Ken Roberts’ opportunity structure theory. Based on a mixed method design, the research maps retrospectively, the ‘opportunity structures’ enabling career advancement and the meanings attached to it by different actors from the business service sector. The goal is to refine our understanding of processes shaping the ‘employability’ of graduates in Romania.

University-to-work transition. A qualitative inquiry on overqualification among Romanian youth Call name: P 1 - SP 1.1 - Proiecte de cercetare pentru stimularea tinerelor echipe independente
PN-III-P1-1.1-TE-2016-0368 2018 - 2020

Role in this project:

Coordinating institution: UNIVERSITATEA BABES BOLYAI

Project partners: UNIVERSITATEA BABES BOLYAI (RO)

Affiliation: UNIVERSITATEA BABES BOLYAI (RO)

Project website: http://socasis.ubbcluj.ro/overed-university-to-work-transition-a-qualitative-inquiry-on-over-qualification-among-romanian-youth/

Abstract:

Europe has the most educated generation in its history. Yet, many graduates work in other fields; have jobs that require lower skills and offer limited opportunities for professional growth. They are overqualified. Together with underqualification, overqualification is part of the notion of ‘skills mismatch’: the extent to which the skills workers possess are not useful in the position they hold. It was considered a ‘historically unique’ defining feature of the precariat (Standing 2011).

While statistical data builds up, there is a weak sociological understanding of what overqualification means to young people, how it reconfigures their views on education and meanings of professional growth. Also, the evidence on employers’ perspectives remains controversial. The notion of ‘right skills’ is overused, but underdefined, as employers send confusing or conflicting messages about the actual skills they are looking for. Besides, the policy discourse on employability is perpetuating the need for training and additional qualifications, for addressing ‘the skills mismatch’. Yet, it is now evident that ‘one-size-fits-all’ measures are short lived (Cededfop 2016) and we need more refined policy instruments.

This project sets out to fill an important research void at the intersection of youth, employment and higher education. It aims to gain an understanding of overqualified peoples’ views on the world of work that is unfolding upon graduation and on the perceived value of education. It explores how structural constraints intersect graduates’ capabilities, sense of choice and vision of professional growth. For contextualizing their views, the project integrates qualitative research (in-depth interviews) with other key actors: employers/ HR staff, local employment offices and university career counselors. Finally, the project engages in a critical dialogue with the policy making on employability and challenges dominant paradigms that either victimize or blame young people.

A youth-centered analysis of the changes in the nature and meaning of work. Call name: Projects for Young Research Teams - RUTE -2014 call
PN-II-RU-TE-2014-4-0011 2015 - 2017

Role in this project:

Coordinating institution: UNIVERSITATEA BABES BOLYAI

Project partners: UNIVERSITATEA BABES BOLYAI (RO)

Affiliation: UNIVERSITATEA BABES BOLYAI (RO)

Project website: https://sites.google.com/site/pasimubb/

Abstract:

This project aims to gain a better understanding of the meanings young people from vocational education and training (VET) attribute to work (including entrepreneurship) and the main structural dynamics at play that shape their views. Starting from the idea that young women and men attending VET enter labour market at a time when the notion of labour is shifting from manual, physical work to services, the project aims to examine their perceptions in regard to the world of work. In doing this, the research will carry out in-depth interviews and focus groups with young women and men attending VET, with education staff and employers. The underlying rationale is to go beyond the dual understanding: employment/ unemployment and to examine the more nuanced social dynamics that shape young people’s views on manual labour, professional or administrative work, apprenticeships, work in the grey economy, temporary and part time work, entrepreneurship etc. Ultimately, the research will increase the level of academic legitimacy of the interdisciplinary area of Youth Studies in Romania and will advance research-informed policy recommendations for the area of civic/entrepreneurial education.

FILE DESCRIPTION	DOCUMENT
List of research grants as project coordinator or partner team leader	Download (16.08 kb) 09/01/2019
Significant R&D projects for enterprises, as project manager
R&D activities in enterprises
Peer-review activity for international programs/projects	Download (65.41 kb) 09/01/2019