Academic training and integration into the labor market of over 23 students: a sample of polytechnic education

Abstract

The lifelong training is now an integral part of the education system, both to meet the individual needs of citizens wants as well as to meet the training needs of employers, providing training for the acquisition and / or updating of skills, bridging the low level of education of a substantial part of Portuguese assets. In polytechnic education, the number of adults older than 23 years enrolled for the first time in higher education increased more than 11 times, reaching 10.003 new registrations in 2009, in comparison with just 900 in 2005.

With our communication, we intend to evaluate the impact of academic integration into the labor market for graduates higher than 23 years by identifying the impact of higher education in the professional career of graduates via M23 years, in a school of the Polytechnic Institute of Porto (ESTGF) and identifying the professional impact by training area.

Methodologically two data collection instruments were used: the database of the Division of Systems and Infrastructures for Information and Communication IPP and a questionnaire sent to all graduate students ESTGF / IPP, who entered in higher education through the M23 years process (2007-2008/2011-2012).

The sharing of results from this research will allow a critical reflection on the importance of academic education and entering the labor market for this specific audience.