Competencias profesionales y su desarrollo mediante aprendizaje- servicio en la Universidadperspectiva de los empleadores

Résumé

Entering the labour force is onerous and one of the first obstacles is, on occasion, the competence shortcomings of university students. To correct the excess of a decontextualized theory, the EHEA (European Higher Education Area) has sponsored a methodological change that encourages more practical teaching, since the most effective learning is active and connected with experience. In this way, university teaching focuses, among other aspects, on achieving learning results in the form of competences associated with the labour market. In this context, more practical and applied methodologies are being tested at the university, including Service-Learning. The objective of this study is to find out whether, for the employers participating in our study, the university students who participate in these Service-Learning activities develop the competency profile they are looking for, making them more attractive candidates in the selection processes, consequently improving their employability. Generic quantitative research has been carried out. A purposive sampling of the employers of graduates from different university faculties was adopted. Three focal groups were formed using a topic guide, which addressed: the professional competences most demanded by employers; the repercussion of the teaching focus on employability; the social involvement capacity of their employees; Service-Learning and its influence on professional profile. 13 employers from different fields participated. Audio clips of the focal groups were recorded and their transcription was analysed by two researchers using content analysis. In the view of the employers consulted, students who participate in Service-Learning activities at the university develop some of the most in-demand professional competences, which positively affect their employability.