
What is surprising about the study was that some competencies identified in the literature as essential for the manager, such as critical thinking and creativity, are less valued by companies taking part in the study. The three competencies deemed most important in the selection processes were: having initiative, being a team player, and building relationships and collaborations. Since trainee companies in general select students from top-rated academic programs, the researcher selected those who had received the best ranking on the National Student Proficiency Exam (ENADE) and the Guia do estudante [Guide for students] published by Editora Abril, for the qualitative research. Ten course coordinators from the South and Southeast regions, with the exception of Rio de Janeiro, took part in the study. The quantitative approach used information collected through questionnaires completed by 377 business degree candidates from these institutions and 25 companies with trainee programs.
The factors listed by the course coordinators as important were: ethics, entrepreneurialism, academic plan, curriculum, competency, career, market expectations, profile, theory and practice, internship, exchange, interdisciplinarity, professors, students and autonomy. In general, the students completed positive self-evaluations. Marangoni points out that the competencies demanded by the companies for trainees are not the only ones that deserve the attention of business courses because requirements change in each phase of one’s professional career and line of work. In her study, Marangoni was advised by Prof. Hamilton Luiz Corrêa of the FEA-USP, and received collaboration from the Cia. de Talentos, a trainee program manager.
Republish