Relevance of Higher Education to Employability: a Study of Job Expectations in Final-Year Students
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Keywords

Higher education relevance; Employability; Job expectations; Soft skills; Curricular misalignment; University-industry collaboration.

How to Cite

Flores Hernández , V. F., Carabajo Pérez, M. F., & Quiroz Demera, W. J. (2026). Relevance of Higher Education to Employability: a Study of Job Expectations in Final-Year Students . Religación, 11(50), e2601703. https://doi.org/10.46652/rgn.v11i50.1703

Abstract

Driven by the pronounced misalignment between educational environments and regional labor market demands, this study analyzed the strategic convergence betweenuniversity offerings and industry requirements in Tungurahua, examining student expectations against corporate employability standards. Utilizing a quantitative, cross-sectional, and non-experimental approach, a sample of 109 key stakeholders was evaluated using the Mann-Whitney U test within the Jamovi environment. The empiricaloutcomes demonstrate a critical asymmetry: while final-year students tend to overestimate the practical applicability of their training, the productive sector identifies a curricular gap and technical deficiencies, prioritizing technological proficiency and complex cognitive skills. Furthermore, a profound divergence was verified regarding communityoutreach programs. In conclusion, this structural disconnection necessitates a comprehensive redesign of graduation profiles through an interactive and collaborative academicgovernance model. 

https://doi.org/10.46652/rgn.v11i50.1703
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