Abstract:

Secondary and higher level education institutions offer pre-professional and professional training that is currently unable to cover the educational demands of the productive sector and, at times, the type of education offered does not seem to fit with workplace demands. Therefore, formal education currently faces the challenge of promoting the acquisition of abilities, capabilities, skills and knowledge that are in line with particular fields by means of curriculum proposals that consider both educational characteristics and workplace needs.

This paper presents the results of research designed to describe the educational demands of the productive sector based on human resource profiles required by small and medium-sized companies located in the province of San Juan (Argentina). Our purpose is to establish the relationship between current secondary and higher educational demands and offers and to identify areas of vacancy that will allow us to strategically define educational offers at secondary and higher education institutions.

This study is exploratory and descriptive, utilizing a mixed qualitative-quantitative methodology with the incorporation and complementation of data and information obtained during field work. The methods and instruments used include documentary analysis, surveys and interviews.

Our expectation is that the knowledge gleaned from this research will allow educational institutions to focus their policies on strengthening employment and consequently, the regional economy.

Keywords:

Workplace training, productive sector, higher education.