JUNIOR ENTERPRISE: SPACE FOR BUILDING UP COMPETENCIES

At the same time that changes are happening in the organization of work, students and educators are seeking other experiences that can facilitate learning beyond those obtained in the classroom. One such experience is participation in Junior Enterprise, a concept intended to be a laboratory for students. Within this context, the aim of the research is to identify and analyze the competencies developed by ex-members of a Junior Enterprise program from a University in Minas Gerais, and to verify if these competencies contributed to the development of their professional careers. The paper used a qualitative, case study approach with data collection comprising interviews, direct observation of the Junior Enterprise and document analysis. Content analysis was then performed on all the resulting data. The results indicate the Junior Enterprise in question provides a space for building up competencies and contributes to the career development of its members.