Satisfaction of university students in relation to their transition into the workforce: a case study

Authors

  • Pilar Martínez-Clares University of Murcia
  • Cristina González-Lorente University of Murcia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30827/relieve.v27i2.20998

Keywords:

higher education, entering the workforce, satisfaction, career guidance, employability

Abstract

Are university students satisfied with the path to seeking employment? Student satisfaction is routinely forgotten, in both research and university career guidance services, when analyzing the transition into the workforce. In order to measure satisfaction, an ad-hoc scale was designed based on a theoretical framework for understanding career guidance in higher education. The chosen framework was the academic training-career guidance-employability prism. The present research aimed to validate a satisfaction rating scale using confirmatory factor analysis and SEM methodology. A second aim was to compare data on career guidance satisfaction by administering this scale to 497 final-year undergraduate students at the University of New Haven (USA) and the University of Padua (Italy). Outcomes showed good model fit and revealed that students completing the rating scale at UPD (Italy) were less satisfied than their American counterparts (UNH). This finding corresponds with other related studies. The present study demonstrates the adequacy and appropriateness of the satisfaction rating scale, highlighting it as an important tool for collecting reliable data with a view to improving university career guidance services.

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Author Biographies

Pilar Martínez-Clares, University of Murcia

Doctor of Education and Professor of the Department of Research Methods and Diagnostics in Education of the Faculty of Education at the University of Murcia. She works in subjects related to career guidance and vocational education and training, diagnostics, development and evaluation of professional competencies, European Higher Education Area, approaches to learning, quality, tutoring in education and job placement.

Cristina González-Lorente, University of Murcia

Doctor of Education with international distinction from the University of Murcia. She developed her research activity as a contracted doctoral candidate through the Programa de Ayudas a la Formación del Profesorado Universitario (FPU) funded by the Spanish Ministry of Education and carried out her research at the Department of Research Methods and Diagnostics in Education of the Faculty of Education at the University of Murcia. She specializes in subjects related to career guidance, job placement and employability in higher education, diagnostics, and development and evaluation of professional competencies.

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Published

2021-12-22

How to Cite

Martínez-Clares, P., & González-Lorente, C. (2021). Satisfaction of university students in relation to their transition into the workforce: a case study. RELIEVE – Electronic Journal of Educational Research and Evaluation, 27(2). https://doi.org/10.30827/relieve.v27i2.20998

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Section

Research Articles