High-impact soft job skills in graduates university. A descriptive study

Currently, professional education must not only be based on knowledge, but also on soft labor skills required by the job market. This article analyzes the relevance of the labor competencies taught at the Universidad del Cauca with respect to those required by the market. Based on a mixed research, 3 surveys were conducted aimed at 1054 graduates, 77 representatives of companies and 36 coordinators of undergraduate programs of the institution, based on three components: labor supply, professional performance spaces and job skills formation needs. The results show that competencies such as self-confidence, decision-making and leadership are mostly developed after graduating from University, while creativity, empathy and social values are acquired during formation. The most demand skills by companies are teamwork, assertive communication, and initiative. For academic programs, the most relevant competencies are leadership, teamwork, and initiative. It is concluded that the lack of articulation between the university and the productive sector affects the formation of soft labor competencies. This, in turn, hinders labor linkage and the ability to respond to social needs and expectations.