Strengthening the university-company relationship to generate job opportunities in the eastern zone

Abstract

The link between universities and companies has traditionally been weak. Likewise, there has been little or no State intermediation to help strengthen said bond. Consequently, each sector has been carrying out its work as it considers appropriate. The aforementioned institutions, by exercising their commitment to society individually and in isolation, lose great opportunities to carry out joint, enriching and synergistic work that could contribute to offering better results to the country. Historically, dissociated efforts have persisted between the business sector and higher education institutions, which has generated dissatisfaction in the expectations of employers, pointing out gaps in the academic training and real performance of new professionals. Until now, mutual communication and interaction has been weak and atomized, lacking vision regarding the benefits that can be obtained if we worked associatively, under state arbitration, as true strategic allies. Therefore, the purpose of this research was established to address the mechanisms that strengthen the university-company link to generate job opportunities in the Eastern Zone of El Salvador, outlining the competencies of the university student, investigating the labor requirements established by companies and contrasting the business and educational vision in fulfilling the commitment to the socioeconomic development of the country. The information was provided by university students, companies and academic officials from universities established in the Eastern Zone of the country. The research is theoretically supported by the most recent models of tripartite linkage university, company, State.