Entry into the labor market, challenge of academic and university training in Colombia

Every year in Colombia, around 524,000 young people graduate from higher education institutions with the hope of entering the job market. However, upon completing their studies they face a harsh reality: the difficult task of finding a job. According to data from the Labor Observatory for Education (OLE), around 25% of recently graduated professionals are unable to join the labor market formally, with lack of experience being one of the main reasons.

(Read: Educational gap affects pension inequality).

Faced with this reality, more and more higher education institutions are betting on academic training models that allow students to acquire work experience before graduating, which not only adds to their resume but also improves their learning process.

Currently, one of the most prominent institutions in this field is CEIPA, which, According to OLE data, it has managed to achieve an employability rate of its graduates of 88.7%, exceeding the national average by 18.1%..

This is due to its innovative business challenge model, SolversLab by CEIPA, a curricular strategy that challenges students to solve real problems of national companies through the knowledge acquired in the classroom, which helps them develop key competencies in their profession and allows them to establish direct contacts with the business world.

(See: Cognitive skills that children develop during the first years of school).

Giovanny Cardona Montoya, vice-rector of the institution, points out that this approach of “learning by doing” In addition to enriching the academic training of students, it also provides them with a competitive advantage in the labor market, since from the moment they begin their learning process at the institution they have the opportunity to work on solving business problems, which is why they obtain a certificate of real work experience.

“We turn our classrooms into creative laboratories, where students, in addition to acquiring knowledge, immediately apply it in real business situations. Through SolversLab, we establish a bridge between companies and students for mutual benefit. Companies receive professional consulting and innovative solutions to their problems, while our students obtain certifiable work experience from the moment they begin their studies. It is a way of learning by doing, where each challenge becomes an opportunity to grow and learn while contributing to the growth of the Colombian business fabric. Cardona adds.

(Also: IDB warns that education in the Americas does not generate equal opportunities).

Through the SolversLab by CEIPA business challenges, students enrich their academic training and acquire competitive advantages in the labor market. This model, which combines theoretical knowledge with practical application, demonstrates the positive impact that the direct connection with the business world has on the employability and professional success of the institution’s graduates.