The Contribution of the Higher Education Institution For the Qualified Workforce

Covering the different employers sectors of the Northern region of Portugal, namely in the NUT III of Alto Tamega, Tamega e Sousa, Terras de Tras-os-Montes and Douro and focusing in particular on the higher education offered by the Polytechnic Institute of Braganca, the present research aimed to know the means and practices of recruitment and selection of graduates, and respective soft skills recognized by the enterprises for their body management. For this purpose, two surveys were run, one applied to entrepreneurs in the region under study, and another to the graduates. In total, 172 questionnaires were collected, 92 by enterprises and 80 by graduates. Regarding to the results obtained, it is generally accepted that they are favourable from the point of view of the employer and the graduate. The organizational practice of recruiting graduates; both monthly remuneration and professional training are shown to be consensual regarding flexibilisation and precariousness. It should also be noted that both companies and graduates have stated a shortage of soft skills. It was verified that although there is already some proximity between the Polytechnic Institute of Braganca and the market labour, it can adopt: measures to improve and adapt education to the labour market; such as establishing connection and/or cooperation with companies in the region; the promotion of internships during undergraduate courses; regularly assess the adequacy of graduations to the labour market and encourage and promote the entrepreneurship.