Abstract:

Graduate employability has become one of the most important indicators used to assess the quality and relevance of higher education institutions. Universities are increasingly expected not only to provide strong academic training but also to demonstrate that their programs contribute effectively to the successful transition of graduates into the labor market. In this context, institutional graduate tracking systems have emerged as key tools for understanding how graduates integrate into professional life and how relevant university training is to their subsequent employment outcomes.

This study examines the early employability trajectories of university graduates using data generated from the institutional graduate tracking system of a public university in Ecuador. The system collects information that allows universities to monitor the transition from higher education to the labor market, evaluate employment outcomes, and assess the alignment between academic training and professional practice. In addition, it provides valuable insights into the development and application of professional competencies acquired during university education.

The research adopts a quantitative approach and is based on follow-up surveys conducted at three different moments in the transition process from university to employment. The first measurement point corresponds to the moment of graduation (T0), the second takes place one year after graduation (T1), and the third occurs two years after graduation (T2). The data analyzed in this study correspond to three cohorts of graduates surveyed between 2023 and 2025. Currently, the survey applied at the moment of graduation includes 5,230 graduates from the 2025 cohort and is still in progress. The one-year follow-up survey includes 1,095 responses from graduates of the 2024 cohort, while the two-year follow-up survey contains 1,058 responses from graduates of the 2023 cohort.

The analysis focuses on key employability indicators such as employment status, time required to obtain the first job, job stability, income evolution, and the degree of alignment between the academic program completed and the job currently performed. In addition, the study considers graduates’ satisfaction with their university education and the development of professional competencies that are relevant to the labor market.

Preliminary findings indicate that graduate employment outcomes tend to improve progressively during the first years after graduation. As time passes, a higher proportion of graduates report being engaged in some form of employment or productive activity. At the same time, improvements can be observed in job stability and in the degree of correspondence between academic training and professional activities. However, the results also reveal variations across academic disciplines and economic sectors, reflecting the diverse labor market opportunities associated with different fields of study.

Overall, the findings highlight the importance of institutional graduate tracking systems as strategic tools for generating reliable evidence about graduate employability outcomes. Such information is essential for supporting curriculum improvement processes, strengthening the relationship between higher education and labor market demands, and informing institutional and educational policies aimed at enhancing the employability of university graduates.

Keywords:

Graduate Employability, Graduate Tracking, Higher Education, University-to-Work Transition, Labor Market Integration.