Employers’ Requirements Regarding Graduates of Studies in Economy in the Period of Transformations on the Labour Market

Abstract

Changes occurring on the labour market at the moment demand greater flexibility on the part of employees as well as adjustment of competencies to the needs and requirements of potential employers. Therefore, becoming familiar with these requirements and adjusting to them seems significant from the point of view of finding awarding employment. This is particularly important in case of young people entering the labour market. Being familiar with the needs and requirements

of potential employers the youth can take advantage of their studies and acquire, apart from knowledge, the necessary skills and qualifications.

The paper focuses on employers’ requirements regarding competencies of the graduates of studies in economy and management in the period of transformations on the labour market and in the process of education.

The empirical material was collected on the basis of a diagnostic survey conducted in the years 2010–2011 among 80 employers potentially offering work to the graduates of economics and management university courses. The empirical analyses were conducted on the basis of the authors’ own questionnaire.

The employers were asked to assess 40 competences (30 general competences and 10 managerial competences). The competences were regarded in two aspects, taking into consideration their role in professional career and the level of competences reached at university by employed the graduates of economics and management university courses. The open questions supplemented the quantitative data. The questions invited employers to indicate strengths and weaknesses of management and economy studies graduates and the greatest disproportions between competencies of the graduates and employers’ requirements.