Early labor insertion in Latin America: A perspective from business sector needs

Figures & data

Table 1. Questions factor “selection criteria”

	Affirmations	1	2	3	4	5	6
8.1	Average grades of individuals
8.2	Participation of the individual in the activities of the university campus
8.3	Individual recommendations from university sources
8.4	Individual recommendations from non-university sources
8.5	The performance of the individual in the job interview with our company
8.6	Knowledge of the lifestyle of future professionals
8.7	The age of graduates

Source: authors

Table 2. Questions factor “University-business linkage”

	Affirmations	1	2	3	4	5	6
8.8	Direct communication of the company with the University
8.9	The existence of a Unit at the University responsible for employability
8.10	Short courses for small business and entrepreneurs taught by the University
8.11	Practical industry support to students during their master’s thesis
8.12	Industry assistance to modernize and develop curriculum and university programs
8.13	Seminars and conferences jointly organized by department and industry
8.14	Collaborative training and educational activities (between the University and Business)
8.15	Collaborative research activities (between the University and Business)
8.16	Collaborative consulting activities (between the University and Business)

Source: authors

Table 3. “Weaknesses associated with the labor insertion process”

	Affirmations	1	2	3	4	5	6
8.17	Low standards of performance by professionals hired in their first job
8.18	Low standards of performance by professionals in the development of practicing
8.19	Applications for positions (profiles) do not coincide with the training levels of graduates (doctorate, master or professional)
8.20	Training gaps are observed in the professional
8.21	considerable differences between the profiles or positions of the company (requirements of the market) with the hired professionals (career skills)

Source: authors

Table 4. “Focus group guide: labor insertion and business interaction in HEIs”

1.	What does the concept of job placement refer to?
2.	What criteria do you think are considered by companies to select graduates to hire?
3.	Do you consider that the professional insertion of university students is an indicator of university quality?
4.	From your experience in labor insertion processes, mention the mechanisms used by your institution aimed at improving labor insertion for students and/or future professionals.
5.	As a strategy to improve insertion, do you consider it important that the student has had complementary training during the university career to be hired?
6.	What gaps do you observe in the University-Business relationship that you believe may negatively influence the labor insertion of graduates?
7.	Do you consider it pertinent that HEIs have a feedback and follow-up system for recent graduates that guarantees knowing their current situation?
8.	What kind of indicators do you think to measure the efficacy in the University-Business articulation in the search for a better labor insertion of recent graduates?
9.	What strategies would you formulate so that students can have a greater knowledge of the market in their training area?
10.	What training gaps do you observe in the professionals of the city of Medellín when they start their working life?
11.	Do you think that there are evident differences between the profiles or positions of companies (labor market demands) with the skills offered to students by HEIs?
12.	Based on your experience, what professional skills do you think the city’s current job market demands? In your opinion, what kind of skills (technical or soft) have more influence on the labor insertion of recent graduates of the city of Medellín?
13.	How do you imagine the skills required by the labor market in 10 years
14.	Any other comments you want to add?

Source: authors

Table 5. Companies’ general information

Job title	Percentage	Business type	Percentage
Human Resources Analyst	14%	Commerce	18%
Continuous Improvement Analyst	4%	Education	4%
Human Resources Manager	11%	Foundation - Consultant and operator of Social and Environmental processes for the regeneration of sustainable territories.	4%
Human Resources Director	11%
Human Resources specialist	11%	Manufacturing	43%
Human Resources Director	18%	Manufacturing & retail	4%
Human Resources Director	14%	Services	29%
Human Resources Shared Services Leader	4%
Intern	4%	Company size	Percentage
Pragma	4%	Big	79%
Human resources Professional	4%	Medium	18%
Psychologist	4%	Micro	4%

Source: The authors based on the results of the survey

Figure 1. Competencies and/or skills that the market values most.

Table 6. Selection criteria, university- business linkage and weaknesses associated with the process of labor insertion by employers

	Very important	Important	moderately important		Of little importance	unimportant	NK/ NR
Employee selection criteria
Grade point average of graduates	0%	46%	18%		18%	18%	0%
Individual participation in extracurricular activities	7%	43%	25%		21%	4%	0%
Individual recommendations from university sources	7%	43%	36%		11%	4%	0%
Individual recommendations from non-university sources	4%	43%	25%		21%	7%	0%
The University from which they graduate	7%	21%	39%		21%	11%	0%
The performance of the graduate in the job interview with our company	71%	25%	4%		0%	0%	0%
The age of graduates	0%	25%	14%		18%	43%	0%
University- Business linkage that influences labor insertion
That the company has a direct communication with the University		64%	29%	7%	0%	0%	0%
The existence of a Unit at the University responsible for employability		46%	39%	15%	0%	0%	0%
short courses for small businesses and entrepreneurs taught by the University		18%	43%	14%	18%	7%	0%
Industry assistance to modernize and develop curricula and university programs		54%	36%	7%	4%	0%	0%
Collaborative training and educational activities (between the University and Business)		36%	57%	7%	0%	0%	0%
Collaborative research activities (between the University and Business)		46%	39%	14%	0%	0%	0%
Collaborative consulting activities (between the University and Business)		46%	39%	11%	4%	0%	0%
Weaknesses associated with the labor insertion process
Low levels of performance by professionals hired in their first job		43%	46%	4%	4%	0%	4%
Low levels of performance by professionals in the development of practice		57%	32%	7%	4%	0%	0%
Applications for positions (profiles) do not coincide with the training of graduates (focus of their careers)		18%	61%	11%	7%	4%	0%
Notable differences between the profiles of companies (labor market requirements) and the profile of the professionals hired (career skills)		29%	57%	11%	4%	0%	0%

Source: authors

Figure 2. Strategies to improve labor insertion with EI.

Figure 3. Training gaps that are observed in the new professionals of the city when they start their working life.

Figure 4. Ways to improve the performance of professionals.

Figure 5. Mental map on the mechanisms to improve labor insertion.

Figure 6. Mental map on gaps in the University-business relationship.