Perceived employment of students with regard to social network support, volunteering and work during the study

Percipirana zapošljivost važan je prediktor buduće uspješne zapošljivosti studenata. U uvjetima nesigurnog tržišta rada nepovoljne ekonomske situacije, važno je ispitati na koje načine studenti mogu povećati svoju konkurentnost na tržištu rada te olakšati prijelaz iz sustava obrazovanja na tržište rada. Ovaj rad vidi mogućnost stjecanja kompetencija i vještina vezanih za struku za koju se studenti obrazuju, i “soft skills“, kroz dodatne aktivnosti, a u svrhu povećanja zapošljivosti. Resursi u tom procesu mogu biti potpora socijalnih mreža te iskustva volontiranja i rada tijekom studija. U istraživanju su sudjelovali hrvatski studenti, ponajviše oni društvenog usmjerenja i na razini diplomskih studija. Za analizu podataka korišten je Pearsonov koeficijent korelacije i t-test. Potpora socijalnih mreža pozitivno je povezana sa percipiranom zapošljivošću studenata, ali nije pronađena statistički značajna razlika među studentima u percipiranoj zapošljivosti obzirom na iskustvo volontiranja, niti iskustvo rada u struci tijekom studija. Rad pokazuje da je potrebno detaljnije istražiti kvalitetu iskustava studenata i izvora socijalnih mreža. Također je vidljiva potreba za osvještavanjem i informiranjem studenata o odgovornosti koju trebaju preuzeti u pogledu povećanja svoje konkurentnosti na tržištu rada. Potrebno je prilike za stjecanje iskustava za mlade učiniti vidljivijima i pristupačnijima, a također i uskladiti obrazovnu politiku sa suvremenim karakteristikama tržišta rada i karakteristikama studentske populacije.Perceived employability is an important predictor of students' future successful employment. Regarding uncertain conditions on the labor market and unfavorable economic situation in the country, it is important to examine the ways in which students can increase labor market competitiveness and facilitate the transition from education to the labor market. This paper regards the process of acquiring skills related to the profession for which students are educating, and soft skills, through additional activities, for the purpose of increasing employability. Social network support, volunteering and work experience gained during studying, could all be resources in that process. Croatian students were participants in this research, mainly those who study in social sciences area, and studying at graduate level. Pearson correlation coefficient and t-test were used for data analysis. Support of social networks is positively associated with students’ perceived employability, but there is no statistically significant difference between students perceived employability, given the experience of volunteering or professional work experience during the study. The paper shows that it is necessary to study more closely the quality of students experience and the sources of social networks. There is also a need for awareness-raising and informing the students about the responsibilities they should take, in order to increase competitiveness in the labor market. Opportunities for gaining more work related experience need to be more visible and accessible, and also it is necessary to align education policy with contemporary characteristics of the labor market and the characteristics of the student population

Perceived employment of students with regard to social network support, volunteering and work during the study

Percipirana zapošljivost važan je prediktor buduće uspješne zapošljivosti studenata. U uvjetima nesigurnog tržišta rada nepovoljne ekonomske situacije, važno je ispitati na koje načine studenti mogu povećati svoju konkurentnost na tržištu rada te olakšati prijelaz iz sustava obrazovanja na tržište rada. Ovaj rad vidi mogućnost stjecanja kompetencija i vještina vezanih za struku za koju se studenti obrazuju, i “soft skills“, kroz dodatne aktivnosti, a u svrhu povećanja zapošljivosti. Resursi u tom procesu mogu biti potpora socijalnih mreža te iskustva volontiranja i rada tijekom studija. U istraživanju su sudjelovali hrvatski studenti, ponajviše oni društvenog usmjerenja i na razini diplomskih studija. Za analizu podataka korišten je Pearsonov koeficijent korelacije i t-test. Potpora socijalnih mreža pozitivno je povezana sa percipiranom zapošljivošću studenata, ali nije pronađena statistički značajna razlika među studentima u percipiranoj zapošljivosti obzirom na iskustvo volontiranja, niti iskustvo rada u struci tijekom studija. Rad pokazuje da je potrebno detaljnije istražiti kvalitetu iskustava studenata i izvora socijalnih mreža. Također je vidljiva potreba za osvještavanjem i informiranjem studenata o odgovornosti koju trebaju preuzeti u pogledu povećanja svoje konkurentnosti na tržištu rada. Potrebno je prilike za stjecanje iskustava za mlade učiniti vidljivijima i pristupačnijima, a također i uskladiti obrazovnu politiku sa suvremenim karakteristikama tržišta rada i karakteristikama studentske populacije.Perceived employability is an important predictor of students' future successful employment. Regarding uncertain conditions on the labor market and unfavorable economic situation in the country, it is important to examine the ways in which students can increase labor market competitiveness and facilitate the transition from education to the labor market. This paper regards the process of acquiring skills related to the profession for which students are educating, and soft skills, through additional activities, for the purpose of increasing employability. Social network support, volunteering and work experience gained during studying, could all be resources in that process. Croatian students were participants in this research, mainly those who study in social sciences area, and studying at graduate level. Pearson correlation coefficient and t-test were used for data analysis. Support of social networks is positively associated with students’ perceived employability, but there is no statistically significant difference between students perceived employability, given the experience of volunteering or professional work experience during the study. The paper shows that it is necessary to study more closely the quality of students experience and the sources of social networks. There is also a need for awareness-raising and informing the students about the responsibilities they should take, in order to increase competitiveness in the labor market. Opportunities for gaining more work related experience need to be more visible and accessible, and also it is necessary to align education policy with contemporary characteristics of the labor market and the characteristics of the student population