Abstract:

The increasing role of youth in the development of society is actualized by the question of its participation in the country’s economy, the development of innovative potential, which makes special demands for the construction of its professional career. The purpose of this study is to investigate the employment strategies of students and graduates, their expectations from professional activities and the perception of their own real status in the development of the career landscape. Such a study, according to the authors, will allow to develop programs for future graduates adaptation to career expectations. The need for targeted training of young people for entering into labor relations, as well as for the formation of young specialists’ professional in-demand competencies led us to the goal of the study: to analyze the potential of the Employment Center to promote the career development of students and graduates.

The authors of the project initiated the creation of the Employment Center to promote the career development of students and graduates. In the events held by the Center, 149 participating graduate students made up the experimental research group. Another 151 students, embraced by our study, did not participate in the activity of the Center and formed a control group. In parallel, within the framework of the research,
(1) analysis of information, websites of universities and practices of accompanying employment of students and graduates of three Moscow universities was implemented;
(2) an online questionnaire was conducted for 300 senior students and bachelor graduates for their expectations of professional activity and adaptation in the labor market;
(3) a survey of experts from employers’ companies (32 people) on the feasibility of involving graduates of universities and undergraduate students in the activities of companies;
(5) a survey of 302 young professionals working no more than two years after graduation from the university. The study was conducted for three years.

The results of the study showed that the students of the experimental group were more adapted to the labor realities, experienced less psychological discomfort when starting their careers, and made more real demands on wages than the members of the control group. The analysis of the events of various formats conducted by the Center showed the insufficient demand from the side of the students. Among the main goals of attracting young people to the activities of companies, the majority of respondents noted the possibility of targeted training of young employees for a particular company, the formation of a personnel reserve, and the closure of the starting positions in the company.

Involvement of young people in labor relations requires the involvement in the technology implementation for the development of the career of young people at the Employment Center at the University, acting as a structure that unites all participants in the labor market: employers and universities; recruitment agencies; consulting, coaching and training companies; legal companies providing services in the field of labor law; NGOs, public organizations and associations; agency for international labor exchange, which allows it to be an effective tool for developing the career of young people.

Keywords:

Career development, professional activities, Employment Center, labor relations, career landscape.