Employment Training at the University: Employment Expectations in Times of Pandemic

Abstract

This study analyses the job expectations found in early childhood education students as well as the main personal and academic aspects that influence their training during the COVID-19 pandemic. A nonexperimental ex post facto study based on a descriptive, correlational and inferential approach is developed. A total of 168 students from the University of Seville (Spain) participated. The results show a moderate to high level of expected employability. However, salary expectations and how the university is perceived regarding employability reveal more negative data. Expectations are higher for men, first-year students and those from a high socioeconomic background. The results suggest the value of offering guidance to students according to their employment preferences, before and during their training, to avoid considering the university as the only educational institution available.