eISSN: 1989-9742 © SIPS. DOI: 10.7179/PSRI_2021.37.01 http://recyt.fecyt.es/index.php/PSRI/ Versión en español: https://recyt.fecyt.es/index.php/PSRI/article/view/85938/63899 ANALYSIS OF THE THEORICAL MODEL OF THE SITUATIONAL TEST FOR MEASURING THE DEVELOPMENT OF BASIC EMPLOYABILITY COMPETENCES: THE WORKERS’ PERSPECTIVE1 ANÁLISIS DEL MODELO TEÓRICO DEL TEST SITUACIONAL DE DESARROLLO DE COMPETENCIAS BÁSICAS DE EMPLEABILIDAD: LA PERSPECTIVA DE LOS TRABAJADORES ANÁLISE DO MODELO TEÓRICO DO TESTE SITUACIONAL DE DESENVOLVIMENTO DAS COMPETÊNCIAS BÁSICAS DE EMPREGABILIDADE: A PERSPECTIVA DOS TRABALHADORES Mercè JARIOT-GARCIA*. Josefina SALA-ROCA*, Laura ARNAU-SABATÉS* & Teresa MARZO ARPÓN** *Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona, **Universidad Ramón Llull Fecha de recepción: 9.XI.2020 Fecha de revisión: 15.XII.2020 Fecha de aceptación: 25.XII.2020 KEY WORDS: ABSTRACT: The aim of this study is to analyse, from the workers’ perspective, the employabil- career guidance; ity model developed by the research group IARS linked to the Situational Test for measuring employability the Development of Basic Employability Competences (Test Situacional de Desarrollo de las competences; Competencias Básicas de Empleabilidad). The hypothesis was that basic employability com- employability; petences proposed by this model are necessary to attain, remain and be promoted within the labour market; labour market regardless of the economic sector, sex, age and work experience. A question- socio-educational naire was completed by 255 workers from different professional sectors. They evaluated the intervention need for eight basic employability competences proposed in the model to obtain and retain their position and also to be promoted: self-organization; training-career plan; decision-mak- ing; teamwork; communication; flexibility; perseverance; responsibility/co-responsibility. The competences were perceived to be very necessary to attain, maintain and to be promoted within the position, although the competences were considered progressively more rele- vant as workers’ progress along their professional career. All competences were assessed as 1 Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (EDU2013-43326-R) CONTACT WITH THE AUTHORS Mercè JARIOT GARCIA. Facultat de Ciències de l’Educació, despacho G6-265. Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès. E-mail: Merce.Jariot@uab.cat [ANALYSIS OF THE THEORICAL MODEL OF THE SITUATIONAL TEST FOR MEASURING THE DEVELOPMENT OF BASIC…] SIPS - PEDAGOGÍA SOCIAL. REVISTA INTERUNIVERSITARIA [(2021) 37, 23-38] TERCERA ÉPOCA Copyright © 2015 SIPS. Licencia Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial (by-nc) Spain 3.0 eISSN: 1989-9742 © SIPS. DOI: 10.7179/PSRI_2021.37.01 [24] http://recyt.fecyt.es/index.php/PSRI/ necessary for different jobs independently of the professional sector, sex, age, and difficulties accessing the labour market after being unemployed. Only some nuances with small size ef- fect were detected. To initially obtain their first job, flexibility is the competence most valued by women and young people, whereas for workers aged 25 to 54, it is the construction of a training-career plan. With regards to maintaining a position, perseverance is most valued by workers who have experienced more difficulties accessing the labour market or have been unemployed. Regarding promotion, teamwork is seen as key by those who have remained at the same company for the longest time. The results endorse the validity of the model and allow for advances to be made in constructing psychoeducational instruments for developing the employability basic competences from an early age. PALABRAS CLAVE: RESUMEN: El objetivo de este estudio es analizar desde la perspectiva de los trabajadores orientación el modelo de empleabilidad del grupo de investigación IARS vinculado al Test Situacional de profesional; Desarrollo de las competencias Básicas de empleabilidad. Las hipótesis de partida son que competencias de las competencias básicas de empleabilidad propuestas por el modelo son necesarias para empleabilidad; lograr, mantener y promocionar en el mercado laboral independientemente del sector eco- empleabilidad; nómico, el sexo, la edad y experiencia laboral. Se administró un cuestionario a un total de 255 mercado laboral; trabajadores de diferentes sectores profesionales. Estos evaluaban la necesidad de las ocho intervención competencias básicas de empleabilidad propuestas en el modelo para obtener y mantener socioeducativa un puesto de trabajo y promocionarse: auto-organización, proyecto formativo-profesional, toma de decisiones, trabajo en equipo, comunicación, flexibilidad, perseverancia y respon- sabilidad-corresponsabilidad. Los trabajadores valoraron todas las competencias como muy necesarias en el acceso, mantenimiento y promoción en el puesto de trabajo, considerándolas progresivamente más relevantes a medida que se avanza en él. Todas las competencias fueron evaluadas como muy necesarias para los diferentes trabajos independientemente del sector profesional, el sexo, la edad y las dificultades en el acceso al mercado laboral después del des- empleo. Solo se detectaron matices con tamaños de efecto pequeños. Para lograr el primer empleo, la flexibilidad es la competencia más valorada por mujeres y jóvenes; mientras que la construcción del proyecto formativo-profesional es la más valorada por los trabajadores de 25 a 54 años. En el mantenimiento del trabajo la perseverancia es más valorada por los trabajado- res con más dificultades para acceder al mercado laboral o han estado en el paro. Para la pro- moción, el trabajo en equipo es una competencia clave para los que más tiempo permanecen en la misma empresa. Los resultados avalan la validez del modelo, y permiten avanzar en la construcción de instrumentos psicoeducativos necesarios para la intervención socioeducativa orientada a desarrollar las competencias básicas de empleabilidad desde edades tempranas. PALAVRAS-CHAVE: RESUMO: O objetivo deste estudo é analisar sob a ótica dos trabalhadores o modelo de orientação empregabilidade do grupo de investigação IARS vinculado ao Teste Situacional para o De- profissional; senvolvimento de Competências Básicas de Empregabilidade. As hipóteses de partida são competências de que as competências básicas de empregabilidade propostas pelo modelo são necessárias empregabilidade; para alcançar, manter e promover no mercado de trabalho, independentemente do setor empregabilidade; econômico, sexo, idade e experiência de trabalho. Um questionário foi aplicado a um total mercado de trabalho; de 255 trabalhadores de diferentes setores profissionais. Avaliaram a necessidade das oito intervenção competências básicas de empregabilidade propostas no modelo para obter e manter um socioeducativa emprego e promover-se: auto-organização, projeto-formação profissional, tomada de deci- são, trabalho em equipe, comunicação, flexibilidade, perseverança e responsabilidade-cores- ponsabilidade. Os trabalhadores valorizaram todas as competências como muito necessárias no acesso, manutenção e promoção no emprego, considerando-as progressivamente mais relevantes à medida que nele progridem. Todas as competências foram avaliadas como mui- to necessárias para os diferentes empregos, independentemente do setor profissional, sexo, idade e dificuldades de acesso ao mercado de trabalho após o desemprego. Apenas nuances com tamanhos de efeito pequenos foram detetados. Para conseguir o primeiro emprego, a flexibilidade é a habilidade mais valorizada por mulheres e jovens; enquanto a construção do projeto profissional é a mais valorizada pelos trabalhadores de 25 a 54 anos. Na manutenção do emprego, a perseverança é mais valorizada pelos trabalhadores com mais dificuldades de acesso ao mercado de trabalho ou que estiveram desempregados. Para a promoção, o traba- lho em equipe é uma competência chave para quem fica na mesma empresa por mais tempo. Os resultados obtidos suportam a validade do modelo e permitem avançar na construção dos instrumentos psico-educacionais necessários para à intervenção socioeducativa orientada ao desenvolvimento de competências básicas de empregabilidade desde a infância. 1. Introduction add unequal access to employment, with women and young people suffering the highest unemploy- With an employment rate of 67%, Spain is at the ment rates (Eurostat, 2019). tail end of the list of European Union countries, In the coming years, a new industrial revolu- with only six countries below it. To this we must tion is anticipated, the so-called Industry 4.0, [Mercè JARIOT-GARCIA, Josefina SALA-ROCA, Laura ARNAU-SABATÉS & Teresa MARZO ARPÓN] SIPS - PEDAGOGÍA SOCIAL. REVISTA INTERUNIVERSITARIA [(2021) 37, 23-38] TERCERA ÉPOCA Copyright © 2015 SIPS. Licencia Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial (by-nc) Spain 3.0 [25] eISSN: 1989-9742 © SIPS. DOI: 10.7179/PSRI_2021.37.01 http://recyt.fecyt.es/index.php/PSRI/ which could lead to massive job losses (Frey & Os- decision making and problem solving, teamwork, borne, 2017) and the need for highly skilled pro- communication, perseverance, professional pro- fessionals (Bonekamp & Sure, 2015). Doubts exist ject development, flexibility and responsibility. as to whether higher education institutions are Nevertheless, it seems important to further val- prepared for this (Flynn, Dance & Schaefer, 2017). idate the IARS Model by including the perspec- Given this scenario, the European Union (2018) tive of the labour market in order to confirm that has proclaimed that labour and employability those 8 competences from the IARS Model are competences will be key for the working popula- also meaningful for the workers and could be tion to adapt to the rapid and profound changes it used to develop the Situational Test for measuring will face. Soft competences, such as employability the Development of the Basic Employability Com- competences, are recognized as being essential petences (Test Situacional de Desarrollo de las to successfully obtain a job and to make progress Competencias Básicas de empleabilidad -DCBE). within the labour market (Cimatti, 2016). The aim of this study is to analyse the IARS em- In a previous study, Sala et al. (2009), iden- ployability model (Arnau et al., 2014), that will be tified that care experienced young people with used to design the Situational Test for measuring good employability and social competences were the Development of the Basic Employability Com- more likely to find work. Those competences were petences (Test Situacional de Desarrollo de las better predictors of a successful integration into Competencias Básicas de empleabilidad -DCBE), the labour market over their educational achieve- from the workers’ perspective. Therefore, this ments. Therefore, improving and developing these article aims to explore the relevance of the eight relevant employability competences, regardless competences for all professional sectors, but also of the level of the formal qualifications obtained, if their relevance increases along the professional seem to be especially valuable for young and vul- career. nerable populations (Nickson et al., 2012). The term employability competences refers to Despite the necessity to measure and improve the theoretical and practical competences neces- the employability competences, especially with sary for exercising a specific occupation that are young people at social risk, there are few propos- acquired through training and professional experi- als of what the basic-employability competences ence (Véliz, Jorna & Berra, 2016). Mastering them that could be adapted to this collective should be allows individuals to act efficiently (Alonso-Martín, and the tests to measure them are very scarce. 2010; Jornet, González, Suárez y Perales, 2011) For this reason, the IARS research group (Arnau and effectively (Riesco González, 2008) in pro- et al., 2014), after analyzing the conceptual frame- fessional situations and resolve problems (Villa & work of employability and based on specialists Poblete, 2011), this being translated into achieve- assessments, proposed a model that included 8 ments and results (Ribes, 2011). basic employability competences necessary to However, the modern-day labour market is a obtain and maintain a job, regardless of the type changing environment that constantly demands of work position and professional field. Further- new knowledge and competences (European more, these 8 competences could be trained from Commission, 2008; Martínez-Agut & Ramos Her- a very early age. This is the model that is taken as nando, 2014; Suárez, 2016). The latter are known by a reference in this article. We believe that it could various different names, including cross-discipli- be used as a baseline to develop the Situational nary, generic, key, and employability competenc- Test for measuring the Development of the Basic es. We have opted for the final term on that list. Employability Competences (Test Situacional de Employability competences are those that will al- Desarrollo de las Competencias Básicas de Em- low individuals to attain a position, remain in it and pleabilidad -DCBE). The model would provide win promotion (Hillage & Pollard, 1998). They are not only a conceptual framework for profession- learned and accumulated throughout life (Arnau als and social educators to help young people to et al., 2014), constitute a determining factor in an improve their employability competences but it individual’s professional career (Martínez-Clares, could also be used as a baseline for developing Martínez-Juárez & Muñoz-Cantero, 2008) and a measurement instrument to be used during the are necessary to respond to new social realities socio-educational intervention. and demands (Llanes, Figuera & Torrado, 2017). The IARS Model (Arnau et al., 2014), which They are also essential for improving employabil- was previously validated theoretically by a group ity and lifelong learning, as they allow workers to of academics and experts, proposes 8 basic com- adapt to the needs of the labour market (Mayor- petences which are transversal to all professional ga-Fernández, Madrid-Vivar & Padial-Díaz; 2016; sectors and relevant to obtain, maintain and to be Pineda-Herrero, Agud-Morell & Ciraso-Calí, 2016), promoted within a workplace: self-organization, which, in turn, makes them relevant for employers [ANALYSIS OF THE THEORICAL MODEL OF THE SITUATIONAL TEST FOR MEASURING THE DEVELOPMENT OF BASIC…] SIPS - PEDAGOGÍA SOCIAL. REVISTA INTERUNIVERSITARIA [(2021) 37, 23-38] TERCERA ÉPOCA Copyright © 2015 SIPS. Licencia Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial (by-nc) Spain 3.0 eISSN: 1989-9742 © SIPS. DOI: 10.7179/PSRI_2021.37.01 [26] http://recyt.fecyt.es/index.php/PSRI/ in personnel selection processes (López, Pais & dynamic. Others incorporate competences that Freire, 2016; Fahimirad, Nair, Kotamjani, Mahdin- are not required by all jobs, in our opinion. In ezhad y Feng, 2019). addition, they draw on different perspectives: Various studies have been carried out with from post-compulsory training (Institut Català de the aim of analysing and classifying employability les Qualificacions Professionals, 2015; Martínez competences in order to fit them within different Clares & González Morga, 2018; Martínez Clares, theoretical models. This has resulted in a list of González Lorente & Rebollo Quintela, 2019; Key- 57 such competences (see Table 1). Some mod- START2Work, s.f.), to the design of higher degree els incorporate only basic employability compe- courses (Tunning, 2003; ANECA, 2005) to the tences from a labour market perspective (ISFOL, needs of vulnerable populations (Olmos-Rueda & 1995; SCANS, 1992), although these require ongo- Mas-Torelló, 2017). ing revision since the labour market is extremely Table 1. Components of employability included in the models Level of consensus Components of employability • Lifelong learning [1,2,3,4,5,7,8]. • Communication [1,2,3,4,5,7,8] • Teamwork [1,2,3,4,5,6,8] High • Adaptability, flexibility [1,2,3,4,5,6,8] • Planning, organizing work and time management [1,2,3,4,5,6,8] • Initiative, autonomy [1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8] • Problem solving [3,2,4,8,1] • Decision making [1, 4, 5, 6] • Interpersonal relations-skills [1, 3, 9, 6, 8] • Information and knowledge management [1, 4, 6, 8,9] • Leadership [1, 2, 4, 8] • Technological mastery [1, 6, 7, 8, 9] Medium • Analytical, summarization and critical skills [1, 5, 8] • Communicating in a foreign language [1, 6, 8] • Ethical and social commitment [1, 6, 8] • Negotiation [2, 3, 4] • Knowledge, recognition and management of diversity and multiculturalism [1, 2, 8] • Success orientation [2, 5, 8] • Competences related to emotions: Empathy [2, 4]; Emotional control [2, 5], Tolerating frustration [2]; Social, physical, emotional and mental well-being competences [7]. • Competences linked to managing one’s career: Self-knowledge [2, 3]; Creativity [1, 8]; Perseverance [5]; Proactivity [2]; Developing a professional and life plan [5]; Self-motivation [2]. • Competences related to working with people: People orientation [5]; Listening [2]; Conflict management [2]; Influence [2]; Service orientation [2]; Social and civic competences [7]. • Competences for adapting to workplace realities and environment: Situating oneself in the work context [4]; Commitment to the organization [5]; Organizational understanding [2]; Reliability [2]; Low Versatility [2]; Basic knowledge of the profession [8]; Ability to apply knowledge in practice [8]; Project design and management [8]; Resource management [2, 9]. • Competences related to diligence: Responsibility [3, 5]; Concern for quality [1, 8]; Motivation [5]; Concentration [2]; Workplace competences [7]; Innovation [2]. • Competences linked to very specific jobs: Investigative competence [6, 8]; Ability to work in an international context [1, 8]; Mathematical competence [7]; Competences for interacting with the physical and natural environment [7]; Conceptual understanding based on the applicable knowledge of global and cultural perspectives [4]; Systemic understanding [9]; Basic general knowledge [8]; Sensitivity towards issues of social, economic and environmental realities [1]. Note. Models in which said competence has been mentioned: [1] ANECA, 2005; [2] Catalan Institute of Professional Qualifications, 2015; [3] ISFOL, 1995; [4] KeySTART2Work, s.f.); [5] Martínez Clares et al., 2019; [6] Martínez Clares and González Morga, 2018; [7] Olmos-Rueda and Mas- Torelló, 2017; [8] Tunning, 2003; [9] SCANS, 1992 According to Llinares (2020) there is no con- extracted that appear in 50% or more of them sensus on which the basic employability compe- (lifelong learning, communication, teamwork, tences are. Considering the models as a whole, flexibility/adaptation to change, organizing work a reduced number of competences can be and time management, problem solving, decision [Mercè JARIOT-GARCIA, Josefina SALA-ROCA, Laura ARNAU-SABATÉS & Teresa MARZO ARPÓN] SIPS - PEDAGOGÍA SOCIAL. REVISTA INTERUNIVERSITARIA [(2021) 37, 23-38] TERCERA ÉPOCA Copyright © 2015 SIPS. Licencia Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial (by-nc) Spain 3.0 [27] eISSN: 1989-9742 © SIPS. DOI: 10.7179/PSRI_2021.37.01 http://recyt.fecyt.es/index.php/PSRI/ making, the ability to relate to other people, initia- family and school environment from early child- tive, managing information and knowledge). hood onwards. Based on this, they propose the Some of these competences cannot be con- IARS Model, which includes eight basic employa- sidered basic, that is, necessary in all jobs, nor is bility competences that summarize and integrate it possible to learn them from an early age. For the fundamental and more recursive competenc- this reason, Arnau et al. (2014) state that basic es in the reviewed models, and that can already employability competences are learned in the be measured in early adolescence (Table 2). TABLE 2. The IARS Model for developing basic employability competences Description of the competence Definition Preparing, managing, and executing a task taking into account its aims and taking care of all Self-organization the details. Construction of the training- Identifying and analysing the training and professional experience necessary to attain the career plan job one wants, keep it and win promotion, acting proactively. Decision making and problem Being able to take decisions, identify problems and solve them effectively and solving constructively, evaluating possible options and their viability. Teamwork Maintaining positive relationships with others in order to achieve a common goal. Knowing how to communicate in different contexts (personal, social and work) and using Communication different media (written and oral). Flexibility Adapting behaviour, ideas and emotions when situations require it. Perseverance Striving continuously to achieve goals and/or tasks, despite any difficulties. Responsibility and Joint Accepting one’s own obligations and those shared with other people, and being consistent. responsibility Source: author’s own data This model presents some substantial advan- of working people. Therefore, 3 hypotheses were tages for developing instruments aimed at both raised. evaluation and educational intervention, since Our first working hypothesis was that the basic it can be used at both working and pre-work- employability competences proposed by Arnau et ing ages. In addition to facilitating employability, al. (2014) are necessary for attaining a job, remain- these basic competences are also transferable to ing in the job market and winning promotion. Our multiple contexts: personal, social, academic and second hypothesis was that they are all necessary family. However, the model has not yet been vali- for any job, regardless of economic sector. The dated. Therefore, in this study we propose to do third hypothesis considers that there are few or this based on the experience of workers in differ- no differences in the workers’ perspective on the ent occupations and professional sectors and with employability competences based on their work differing levels of qualification and professional experience, sex and age. experience. 3. Method 2. Justification and hipothesis To analyse the IARS Model from the workers’ per- after analyzing the conceptual framework of em- spective, a correlational quantitative study was ployability, the IARS group created a model of designed. Through the survey methodology, work- basic employability competences that was vali- ers from different sectors of the labour market, dated by specialists in order to develop a copyleft occupations and levels of qualification assessed psychoeducational test for it to be used in pro- the usefulness of the competences for attaining grams aimed at vulnerable youth. However, it was and retaining their job and winning promotion in necessary to test its validity with the experience the labour market. [ANALYSIS OF THE THEORICAL MODEL OF THE SITUATIONAL TEST FOR MEASURING THE DEVELOPMENT OF BASIC…] SIPS - PEDAGOGÍA SOCIAL. REVISTA INTERUNIVERSITARIA [(2021) 37, 23-38] TERCERA ÉPOCA Copyright © 2015 SIPS. Licencia Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial (by-nc) Spain 3.0 eISSN: 1989-9742 © SIPS. DOI: 10.7179/PSRI_2021.37.01 [28] http://recyt.fecyt.es/index.php/PSRI/ This analysis, based on the productive sector, anonymously, and at no time was there any identi- will provide more evidence of validity of the model fying information requested. and will allow us to have a tool that is suitable for Descriptive analysis and variance analysis was designing targeted career guidance and retraining done using Stata statistical package. plans that should improve workers’ employability potential. 4. Results 3.1. Sample We will now present the scores that the sur- veyed workers awarded to the need for each of The population under study were people of work- the eight competences included in the model for ing age in Catalonia. A combined non-probabil- the processes of attaining and retaining a job and istic sampling was developed, which was carried winning promotion. Differences in scores are also out using different network contacts. Specifically, described according to the variables of age, sex, professional sector, time in attaining first job and a stratified purposeful sampling was used. Firstly, length of time at a company. the strata (productive sectors) were identified and secondly, the inclusion criteria of the analysis units were defined: being of working age and hav- 4.1. Participants’ work experience ing worked at some time. An effort was made to maintain the same percentage of the population The participants reported diverse levels of work experience. Some had worked in just one compa- for each of the strata. ny and others in several, with a maximum of 25 (M The sample consisted of 255 workers from the = 4.6, SD = 3.2). Most of the participants reported Catalan territory, of whom 62.8% were women that they had not had any difficulty finding their and 37.2% men. Ages covered the entire working first job and had done so in less than half a year life spectrum: thus, 37.7% were aged between 16 (91.5%). However, some had needed more than and 24, 55.9% between 25 and 54, and 6.4% were half a year to find it (8.5%). The length of stay at 55 or older. The interviewees worked in the ser- these companies was also varied, with durations vice sector (69.7%), industry (13.9%), agriculture, of less than one year (46.4%), between one and livestock and fishing (9.4%), and construction (7%). three (25.2%) and more than three (28.4%). The positions held by the different partici- 3.2. Procedure and instruments pants throughout their working lives were also diverse: director or manager (3.2%); scientific or An ad hoc questionnaire was developed asking intellectual professional (9.5%); office, accounting participants to assess how necessary the eight ba- or administrative employee (28.8%); catering or sic employability competences of the IARS Model salesperson (9%); agricultural, fishing or livestock had been in attaining their job, staying in the job worker (18.9%): craftsperson or industry or con- market and winning promotion: self-organization; struction worker (12.6%); installation or machine training-career plan; decision-making; teamwork; operator (2.7%); elementary occupation (3.6%); communication; flexibility; perseverance; respon- military (0.9%). sibility/co-responsibility. Each of the competenc- The participants had also experienced periods es was specified in units of competence that also of unemployment; however, the majority had been had to be assessed (Arnau et al. 2014). unemployed for less than a year or had not yet This assessment was based on a Likert scale been unemployed (77.4%), while a smaller group from 0 to 4, whereby 0 identified the competenc- had been for between one and two years (10%), or es and the units of competence as being unnec- more than two years (12.7%). essary and 4 as absolutely essential. Likewise, participants were asked for their age, sex, job, 4.2. Assessment of the usefulness of basic and other data regarding work experience. The employability competences questionnaire was validated by six experts from the field of career guidance and labour market As Figure 1 shows, all of the competences were integration. highly valued. They all obtained an average score The instrument was administered by collabo- of more than 3 (on a scale of 0 to 4), except for rators of the research team following the agreed teamwork, which obtained an average of 2.89 for upon protocol. Prior to the administration of the the first phase of accessing a job, although this questionnaire, participants were informed of the score rose to an average of 3.4 for maintaining objective of the study and their voluntary collab- a position and being promoted. Therefore, the oration was requested.The data was collected working hypothesis 1 of this study - that basic [Mercè JARIOT-GARCIA, Josefina SALA-ROCA, Laura ARNAU-SABATÉS & Teresa MARZO ARPÓN] SIPS - PEDAGOGÍA SOCIAL. REVISTA INTERUNIVERSITARIA [(2021) 37, 23-38] TERCERA ÉPOCA Copyright © 2015 SIPS. Licencia Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial (by-nc) Spain 3.0 [29] eISSN: 1989-9742 © SIPS. DOI: 10.7179/PSRI_2021.37.01 http://recyt.fecyt.es/index.php/PSRI/ employability competences are necessary for Some nuances are observed in the scores de- attaining a job, remaining in the job market and pending on which of the three phases they relate winning promotion - was confirmed. In overall, the to. For accessing employment, the least valued most valued competences were responsibility, competence was teamwork (M = 2.89; p<.001) and followed by communication, perseverance, and the most valued communication (M = 3.43, p<.001) self-organization (p<.001). and responsibility (M = 3.36, p<.001), followed by Figure 1, shows that globally the participants perseverance (M = 3.28, p<.05). As for retaining a perceived these competences as more valuable job, the least valued was making a training-career to progress in their career inside the company, plan (M = 3.13, p<.001) and the most valued respon- and overall, they assign increasing scores to get sibility and joint responsibility (M = 3.55, p<.001), the job, maintain the position, and promote with- self-organization (M = 3.44; p<.05) and persever- in the labour market (p<.001). Polynomic contrast ance (M = 3.44; p<.05). When it comes to promo- shows that the score assignment follow a linear tion, all of the competences were highly valued, function in all competences (p<.001), except in the although responsibility (M = 3.64; p<.01) and com- training-career plan and communication that fol- munication (M = 3.58; p=.05) stood out. low a quadratic function (p<.01). Figure 1. Evaluation of the need for the eight basic employability competences in attaining and keeping a job and winning promotion. 4.3. Usefulness of basic employability to the eight competences with regard to entering, competences by professional sector remaining and promoting within the labour mar- ket. Workers in all four professional sectors gave The data obtained also corroborated our second scores of between 2.7 and 3.7 out of 4 for the eight hypothesis, that all eight competences are neces- competences. Only small differences between ag- sary for any job, regardless of economic sector; riculture sector and the other sectors arise in the so, there were no big differences in the scores analysis: People who works in agriculture provide assigned by workers from different professional lower scores to self-organization competences to sectors. access the job (p<.05; cohen’d = .10), to communi- An analysis of scores based on the variable cation to retain the job (p<.001; cohen’d = .62) and “professional sector” did not reveal statistically to and teamwork to retain or promotion in the job significant differences in the importance awarded (p<.05; cohen’d = .26 and .35, respectively) (Table 3). [ANALYSIS OF THE THEORICAL MODEL OF THE SITUATIONAL TEST FOR MEASURING THE DEVELOPMENT OF BASIC…] SIPS - PEDAGOGÍA SOCIAL. REVISTA INTERUNIVERSITARIA [(2021) 37, 23-38] TERCERA ÉPOCA Copyright © 2015 SIPS. Licencia Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial (by-nc) Spain 3.0 eISSN: 1989-9742 © SIPS. DOI: 10.7179/PSRI_2021.37.01 [30] http://recyt.fecyt.es/index.php/PSRI/ Tabla 3: Scores by professional sector PROFESSIONAL SECTOR agriculture, livestock and industry building services Sig. fishing ATTAINING A JOB Self-organization 3.0(.9) 3(1.1) 3.1(.9) 3.2(1) p<.05 Training-career plan 3.1(.8) 2.9(1) 3(1) 3(1) n.s. Decision-making 3.1(1) 3.4(.8) 3.1(1.1) 3.5(.8) n.s Teamwork 3.4(.6) 3.3(1) 3.4(.9) 3.3(.9) n.s. Communication 3.2(.7) 3.4(.6) 3(1) 3.3(1) n.s. Flexibility 2.7(1) 2.8(1.2) 2.9(1) 2.9(1.1) n.s. Perseverance 3(.8) 3(.9) 3(1.2) 3.2(.9) n.s. Responsibility and co-responsability 3.4(.8) 3.2(1.1) 3.1(1) 3.4(.8) n.s. RETAINING A JOB Self-organization 3.1(.7) 3.5(.8) 3.2(.8) 3.5(.7) n.s. Training-career plan 3.2(.8) 3.3(.9) 3.4(.7) 3.4(.7) n.s. Decision-making 2.7(.9) 3.3(.8) 3.3(.8) 3.5(.7) p<.001 Teamwork 3.4(.7) 3.5(.6) 3.5(.6) 3.4(.7) n.s. Communication 3.1(.7) 3(.8) 2.9(1.1) 3.2(.9) n.s. Flexibility 3(.9) 3.3(.8) 3.4(.7) 3.5(.7) p<.05 Perseverance 2.9(.8) 3.3(.7) 3.3(.6) 3.3(.8) n.s. Responsibility and co-responsability 3.6(.6) 3.5(.8) 3.3(.8) 3.6(.6) n.s. ACHIEVING PROMOTION Self-organization 3.2(.9) 3.6(.7) 3.5(.6) 3.6(.8) n.s. Training-career plan 3.3(.8) 3.6(.7) 3.7(.5) 3.5(.7) n.s. Decision-making 3.2(.9) 3.7(.5) 3.5(.8) 3.6(.7) n.s. Teamwork 3.6(.7) 3.6(.6) 3.5(.5) 3.5(.8) n.s. Communication 3.2(.7) 3.6(.6) 3(1.1) 3.4(.9) n.s. Flexibility 2.9(1.1) 3.5(.7) 3.2(.8) 3.5(.8) p<.05 Perseverance 3(1) 3.5(.7) 3.4(.6) 3.4(.8) n.s. Responsibility and co-responsability 3.7(.6) 3.7(.7) 3.3(.9) 3.6(.7) n.s. NOTE. Mean (SD) and Anova’s significance. 4.4. Influence of age, sex and work experience to be promoted. A few nuances were observed in as variables the scores depending on the age, sex and work experience of the worker. With regards to hypothesis 3, the analysis Medium age (25-54 y.o.) and young (16-24 y.o.) revealed that all participants consider the eight workers perceived that the training-career plan (p competences as necessary to attain, maintain and <.01; R2 = .02) and flexibility (p <.05; R2 = .03) were [Mercè JARIOT-GARCIA, Josefina SALA-ROCA, Laura ARNAU-SABATÉS & Teresa MARZO ARPÓN] SIPS - PEDAGOGÍA SOCIAL. REVISTA INTERUNIVERSITARIA [(2021) 37, 23-38] TERCERA ÉPOCA Copyright © 2015 SIPS. Licencia Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial (by-nc) Spain 3.0 [31] eISSN: 1989-9742 © SIPS. DOI: 10.7179/PSRI_2021.37.01 http://recyt.fecyt.es/index.php/PSRI/ more important to obtain a job than older work- higher scores to the training-career plan (p<.05; ers (55 or more years). Moreover, women assigned cohen’d = .33; .27 and .33, respectively) in order to higher scores than men to flexibility with regards retain a job (Table 4). to obtaining and maintaining a job. They also gave Table 4: Scores based on sex and age SEX AGE Men Women Sig. 16-24 25-54 55 - Sig. ATTAINING A JOB Self-organization 3.1 (1) 3.1(.09) n.s. 3.1(0.9) 3.1(1.0) 3.3(1.0) n.s. Training-career plan 3.1(1.1) 3.4(.9) n.s. 3.3(1.0) 3.3(0.8) 2.5(1.0) p<0.01 Decision-making 3(1.1) 3(.9) n.s. 3.0(0.9) 2.9(1.1) 3.1(0.9) n.s. Teamwork 2.8(1.1) 2.9(1.1) n.s. 2.9(1.1) 2.8(1.1) 2.9(1.0) n.s. Communication 3.4(.9) 3.5(.8) n.s. 3.5(0.8) 3.4(0.9) 3.1(1.1) Flexibility 3 (1.1) 3.3(1.1) p<0.05 3.4(0.8) 3.1(0.9) 2.9(0.9) p<0.05 Perseverance 3.3(1) 3.3(.8) n.s. 3.2(0.8) 3.4(0.9) 3.1(0.9) n.s. Responsibility and co-responsability 3.3(1) 3.4(.8) n.s. 3.4(0.7) 3.3(0.9) 3.3(0.9) n.s. RETAINING A JOB Self-organization 3.4(.7) 3.4(.7) n.s. 3.5(0.7) 3.4(0.7) 3.3(0.8) n.s. Training-career plan 2.9(.1) 3.2(.8) p<0.05 3.1(0.9) 3.1(0.9) 2.9(0.7) n.s. Decision-making 3.3(.8) 3.4(.7) n.s. 3.4(0.6) 3.3(0.8) 3.2(0.9) n.s. Teamwork 3.3(.8) 3.5(.7) n.s. 3.5(0.7) 3.4(0.8) 3.0(0.7) n.s. Communication 3.2(.9) 3.4(.7) n.s. 3.4(0.8) 3.3(0.9) 3.3(0.8) n.s. Flexibility 3.1(.8) 3.5(.7) p<0.05 3.4(0.7) 3.2(0.8) 3.1(0.8) n.s. Perseverance 3.4(.8) 3.4(.7) n.s. 3.5(0.6) 3.4(0.7) 3.5(0.8) n.s. Responsibility and co-responsability 3.5(.7) 3.6(.6) n.s. 3.6(0.7) 3.5(0.7) 3.6(0.7) n.s. ACHIEVING PROMOTION Self-organization 3.5(.9) 3.6(.8) n.s. 3.6(0.6) 3.5(0.8) 3.3(0.7) n.s. Training-career plan 3.3(.9) 3.4(.9) n.s. 3.4(0.9) 3.5(0.8) 3.1(0.8) n.s. Decision-making 3.6(.7) 3.5(.7) n.s. 3.5(0.6) 3.6(0.7) 3.2(0.9) p<.05 Teamwork 3.5(.7) 3.4(.9) n.s. 3.5(0.9) 3.5(0.8) 3.0(0.7) n.s. Communication 3.2(.6) 3.4(.7) n.s. 3.6(0.7) 3.6(0.7) 3.3(0.8) n.s. Flexibility 3.3(.7) 3.4(.7) n.s. 3.4(0.8) 3.4(0.8) 3.4(0.7) n.s. Perseverance 3.6(.8) 3.5(.8) n.s. 3.5(0.7) 3.5(0.7) 3.5(0.8) n.s. Responsibility and co-responsability 3.6(.7) 3.7(.7) n.s. 3.7(0.6) 3.6(0.7) 3.8(0.7) n.s. NOTE. Mean (SD) and significance All participants reported that these compe- two exceptions to it. On the one hand, workers tences were necessary in each of the three mo- that needed more than 6 months to find the first ments of the professional life independently of job perceived that teamwork was necessary to ob- the time they got their first job, the amount of time tain a job (p<.05, d cohen = .5) and perseverance to they had been unemployed or the maximum time retain it (p<.5, d cohen = .7) (Table 5). Whereas on working at the same company. There were only the other hand, people that had been at the same [ANALYSIS OF THE THEORICAL MODEL OF THE SITUATIONAL TEST FOR MEASURING THE DEVELOPMENT OF BASIC…] SIPS - PEDAGOGÍA SOCIAL. REVISTA INTERUNIVERSITARIA [(2021) 37, 23-38] TERCERA ÉPOCA Copyright © 2015 SIPS. Licencia Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial (by-nc) Spain 3.0 eISSN: 1989-9742 © SIPS. DOI: 10.7179/PSRI_2021.37.01 [32] http://recyt.fecyt.es/index.php/PSRI/ company more than three years assigned higher R2 = .026). No significant differences were ob- scores to teamwork in order to be promoted in served based on the amount of time unemployed. the workplace than the other participants (p<.5, Table 5: Scores based on work experience: time finding the first job, time unemployed and maximum permanence in the same company. TIME FINDING FIRST MAXIMUM PERMANENCE IN THE SAME TIME UNEMPLOYED JOB COMPANY More More More 0-6 0 to 1 1-2 than 6 Sig. than 1 Sig. 0 to 1 year 1-3 years than 3 Sig. months year years monts year years ATTAINING A JOB Self-organization 3,1(1,0) 3,1(1,1) n.s. 3,2(1,0) 3,0(0,9) 2,8(1,0) n.s. 3,01(0,95) 2,96(1,17) 3,27(0,94) n.s. Decision-making 3,2(1,0) 3,6(0,6) n.s. 3,2(1,0) 3,3(1,0) 3,4(0,8) n.s. 3,32(0,91) 3,39(0,89) 3,03(1,02) n.s. Communication 3,0(1,0) 3,0(1,3) n.s. 3,0(1,0) 3,1(1,0) 2,9(1,4) n.s. 3,03(0,99) 3,04(1,08) 2,86(1,06) n.s. Perseverance 2,9(1,1) 2,3(1,2) p<0.05 2,9(1,1) 3,0(1,2) 2,5(1,4) n.s. 2,8(1,16) 2,94(1,11) 2,92(1,04) n.s. Training-career plan 3,4(0,8) 3,4(1,0) n.s. 3,5(0,8) 3,4(0,7) 3,2(1,1) n.s. 3,54(0,8) 3,39(0,95) 3,25(0,84) n.s. Teamwork 3,2(0,9) 2,9(1,2) n.s. 3,2(0,9) 3,3(0,9) 2,9(1,2) n.s. 3,2(0,9) 3,2(0,98) 3,12(0,89) n.s. Flexibility 3,3(0,9) 3,5(0,7) n.s. 3,3(0,9) 3,4(0,8) 3,2(1,0) n.s. 3,44(0,81) 3,14(1,04) 3,17(0,93) n.s. Responsibility and 3,4(0,9) 3,1(0,9) n.s. 3,3(0,9) 3,3(0,7) 3,3(1,0) n.s. 3,41(0,81) 3,22(0,96) 3,32(0,86) n.s. co-responsability RETAINING A JOB Self-organization 3,5(0,7) 3,5(0,6) n.s. 3,5(0,7) 3,4(0,7) 3,2(0,9) n.s. 3,48(0,69) 3,49(0,68) 3,34(0,73) n.s. Decision-making 3,1(0,9) 3,4(0,7) n.s. 3,1(0,9) 3,2(0,9) 3,3(1,0) n.s. 3,06(0,84) 3,2(1,06) 3,14(0,82) n.s. Communication 3,4(0,7) 3,4(0,7) n.s. 3,3(0,7) 3,5(0,6) 3,5(0,9) n.s. 3,43(0,67) 3,31(0,74) 3,27(0,81) n.s. Perseverance 3,4(0,7) 3,3(0,9) n.s. 3,4(0,7) 3,6(0,5) 3,4(1,1) n.s. 3,51(0,6) 3,27(0,95) 3,37(0,79) n.s. Training-career plan 3,3(0,8) 3,4(0,9) n.s. 3,4(0,8) 3,2(0,7) 3,2(1,1) n.s. 3,41(0,77) 3,18(1,01) 3,36(0,69) n.s. Teamwork 3,3(0,8) 3,2(0,8) n.s. 3,3(0,7) 3,5(0,6) 3,0(1,1) n.s. 3,28(0,74) 3,22(0,92) 3,32(0,63) n.s. Flexibility 3,4(0,6) 3,8(0,6) p<0.05 3,4(0,7) 3,5(0,6) 3,3(0,7) n.s. 3,49(0,65) 3,43(0,65) 3,37(0,67) n.s. Responsibility and 3,6(0,7) 3,5(0,7) n.s. 3,6(0,6) 3,4(0,7) 3,5(0,8) n.s. 3,56(0,68) 3,59(0,54) 3,53(0,7) n.s. co-responsability ACHIEVING PROMOTION Self-organization 3,5(0,8) 3,8(0,4) n.s. 3,5(0,8) 3,5(0,9) 3,4(0,9) n.s. 3,51(0,89) 3,55(0,82) 3,49(0,73) n.s. Decision-making 3,4(0,9) 3,7(0,5) n.s. 3,4(0,8) 3,3(1,0) 3,6(0,8) n.s. 3,31(0,9) 3,61(0,86) 3,44(0,79) n.s. Communication 3,5(0,7) 3,6(0,5) n.s. 3,5(0,7) 3,6(0,7) 3,7(0,7) n.s. 3,56(0,68) 3,49(0,82) 3,46(0,73) n.s. Perseverance 3,4(0,9) 3,5(0,9) n.s. 3,5(0,8) 3,4(0,7) 3,2(1,1) n.s. 3,58(0,68) 3,18(1,07) 3,34(0,92) p<0.05 [Mercè JARIOT-GARCIA, Josefina SALA-ROCA, Laura ARNAU-SABATÉS & Teresa MARZO ARPÓN] SIPS - PEDAGOGÍA SOCIAL. REVISTA INTERUNIVERSITARIA [(2021) 37, 23-38] TERCERA ÉPOCA Copyright © 2015 SIPS. Licencia Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial (by-nc) Spain 3.0 [33] eISSN: 1989-9742 © SIPS. DOI: 10.7179/PSRI_2021.37.01 http://recyt.fecyt.es/index.php/PSRI/ TIME FINDING FIRST MAXIMUM PERMANENCE IN THE SAME TIME UNEMPLOYED JOB COMPANY More More More 0-6 0 to 1 1-2 than 6 Sig. than 1 Sig. 0 to 1 year 1-3 years than 3 Sig. months year years monts year years Training-career plan 3,6(0,7) 3,6(0,8) n.s. 3,6(0,7) 3,5(0,7) 3,4(0,9) n.s. 3,65(0,64) 3,47(0,92) 3,61(0,62) n.s. Teamwork 3,4(0,8) 3,5(0,8) n.s. 3,4(0,8) 3,4(0,7) 3,2(1,0) n.s. 3,38(0,82) 3,33(0,94) 3,51(0,7) n.s. Flexibility 3,5(0,7) 3,8(0,4) n.s. 3,5(0,7) 3,4(0,8) 3,4(0,7) n.s. 3,51(0,72) 3,39(0,86) 3,64(0,58) n.s. Responsibility and 3,6(0,7) 3,8(0,6) n.s. 3,7(0,7) 3,5(0,5) 3,6(0,8) n.s. 3,63(0,73) 3,57(0,74) 3,68(0,68) n.s. co-responsability NOTE. Mean (SD) and significance. 5. Discussion and conclusions changes in occupation. The need to compete so fiercely for jobs may mean that workers assign In summary, the data corroborate our three work- greater value to having a training-career plan at ing hypotheses. The eight competences included the beginning of adult life, while people over 45 in the model were valued by all workers as being years of age see the length of their time unem- highly necessary for attaining and retaining a job ployed increase, which affects their attitude, as and winning promotion regardless of sex, age, pro- stated by Piqueras et al. (2018). fessional sector, the time it took to attain a first When it comes to staying in the job market, job, and length of time at the company or unem- perseverance is found to be more valued by work- ployed. In fact, employers also value these generic ers who have taken longer to attain a first job. employability competences above specific com- Unemployment can lead to multiple emotional petences (Michavilla, Martínez, Martín-González, problems (Lee, Jones, Yoon, Hackman, Yoo & Ko- García-Peñalvo and Cruz-Benito, 2018), as they sterman, 2019), which is probably why those work- are the aspects that companies attach most value ers who have experienced the most difficulties in to in their job offers, and therefore increase can- this respect assign a high value to perseverance. didates’ chances of attaining a job. The agriculture, livestock and fishing sector places Although all of the competences were highly less value on self-organization and communication valued by the different participants, some differ- when it comes to retaining a job, although scores ences were observed according to profile or work were still high. Agricultural work is very fami- experiences. In relation to attaining a job, flexibil- ly-based in Spain (González & Benito, 2018), and ity is the competence most valued by women and the participants in this study were from Catalonia, the young. Reasons for the differences observed a community characterized by small farms, so a between men and women may be related to the considerable proportion of the workers who par- different determining factors that women encoun- ticipated in this sector would be owners of their ter when it comes to accessing employment and own business and mostly work alone. retaining their job (Cebrián and Moreno, 2015), as With regard to winning promotion, workers well as possible problems combining family and who stay longer at a company value teamwork working life (Aragón, 2018). History confirms that more, and workers who have been unemployed women’s integration, consolidation and progress longer award more value to making a training-ca- in the labour market differs from that experienced reer plan and self-organization. Although these by men, the former encountering far more barri- workers value all of the competences highly, they ers than the latter. perhaps award more value to those they feel they For their part, young workers awarded great- have had to rely more on to achieve promotion. er relevance to making a training-career plan For their part, workers in the agriculture, live- than the medium aged ones. Age is a condition- stock and fishing sectors are those who least val- ing factor in accessing a job (Piqueras, Izquierdo ue teamwork, although as commented previously, and Rodríguez, 2018), and differences are there- this may be explained by the fact that they are fore found in this respect, as well as in retaining workers on a family farm where only one member a job. The youth unemployment rate has always of the family performs the main tasks. been very high in Spain, and young people are of- The results of our study coincide with the ten forced to accept temporary jobs and constant premises posited by experts on the subject, [ANALYSIS OF THE THEORICAL MODEL OF THE SITUATIONAL TEST FOR MEASURING THE DEVELOPMENT OF BASIC…] SIPS - PEDAGOGÍA SOCIAL. REVISTA INTERUNIVERSITARIA [(2021) 37, 23-38] TERCERA ÉPOCA Copyright © 2015 SIPS. Licencia Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial (by-nc) Spain 3.0 eISSN: 1989-9742 © SIPS. DOI: 10.7179/PSRI_2021.37.01 [34] http://recyt.fecyt.es/index.php/PSRI/ namely, that individuals with these competences Developing young people’s ability to analyse have improved possibilities of finding a job, retain- and improve their basic employability competenc- ing it over time and winning promotion (Mayor- es is essential in the current labour market. As ga-Fernández et al., 2016 and Pineda-Herrero et Foncubierta, Perea and González (2016) stated, al., 2016). we must not forget that employability competenc- Although many of the classifications discussed es constitute a determining factor in companies’ in the Introduction include highly complex employ- selection processes. Individuals who know how to ability competences (initiative, creativity, teaching assess their competence level and acquire these others, leadership, entrepreneurship, etc.), IARS basic employability competences will have more Model does not include them because it focuses and better opportunities than those who do not. on those basic competences that every worker If, as López et al. (2016) stated, employers val- will need in any work situation. In this sense, we ue generic employability competences over spe- agree with Llinares, Córdoba and Zacarés (2012) cific ones, then designing actions that help indi- that including competences such as initiative or viduals assess their competence level and guide autonomy in the employability model would be their development in this respect increase their unrealistic because they are competences that chances of attaining and retaining a job, and even are fundamentally required for professions with of promotion, in a labour market characterized high professional qualifications and this would ex- by high competitiveness, instability and change. clude more universal competences from the mod- The intervention oriented to the development el that the more vulnerable groups in the labour of employability competences could help young market do possess. people to plan and make decisions regarding their Focusing on basic employability competences training and professional projects (Terzaroli and means placing the emphasis on competences that Oyekunle, 2019). This learning process should be are more cross-disciplinary and applicable to any developed all throughout life (Llinares, 2020). sector and professional level. The data obtained in this study show that the eight analysed com- 5.1. Limitations petences were valued highly regardless of the professional sector. Despite each sector having This study has some limitations that must be taken its own characteristics, as Cerrato, Argueta and into consideration. First of all, it was based on the Zavala (2018) have stated, these eight competenc- workers´ perceptions and experiences, but it’s es included in the IARS Model can be transferred necessary to contrast this vision to the employ- from one job to another. Therefore, these eight er’s experience. Secondly, it would be necessary competences need to be considered and included in the future to measure these competences and in the design of the Situational Test for measuring analyse if those workers who have higher levels in the Development of the Basic Employability Com- these competences are also the ones who have a petences (Test Situacional de Desarrollo de las better laboral insertion and promotion. Competencias Básicas de empleabilidad -DCBE). We consider the construction, evaluation and 5.2. Implications for practice adaptation of the training-career plan to be very important. As Mateos (2014) proposed, the cur- This study shows that these basic employability rent work scenario of uncertainty and constant competences that are developed from a preado- changes forces workers to increase their employ- lescent stage are relevant for the labour market ability by linking it to their professional career and insertion and consolidation. Therefore, it is neces- integrating it within their life plans, with the help sary that these competences are included in early of companies and society. We are in a context of education and within career plans. accelerated change in the productive world. New Having high technical competences does not generations of workers will experience the disap- guarantee job retention and promotion without pearance of different types of jobs and the crea- these basic employability competences. Further- tion of new ones throughout their lifetimes. Only more, it could be argued that it may be easier for individuals with the ability to make their profile a worker with general training and good basic em- compatible with these changes through training ployability competences to easily learn the spe- and career guidance will remain in work. Further- cific competences of the position, than a worker more, as Álvarez and López (2012) stated, access- with specific qualified competences to learn basic ing and staying in the labour market contribute employability competences and to adapt to the to the stability of professional and life plans, and general requirements of the job place. For this therefore to personal fulfilment and socio-emo- reason, it is important that professionals such as tional well-being. employment advisors, social educators, and other [Mercè JARIOT-GARCIA, Josefina SALA-ROCA, Laura ARNAU-SABATÉS & Teresa MARZO ARPÓN] SIPS - PEDAGOGÍA SOCIAL. REVISTA INTERUNIVERSITARIA [(2021) 37, 23-38] TERCERA ÉPOCA Copyright © 2015 SIPS. Licencia Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial (by-nc) Spain 3.0 [35] eISSN: 1989-9742 © SIPS. DOI: 10.7179/PSRI_2021.37.01 http://recyt.fecyt.es/index.php/PSRI/ professionals of the Social Pedagogy include ba- Acknowledgments sic employability competences in their education- al intervention and use tests and instruments to This study was supported by a grant from the Min- measure them in order to improve young people’s isterio de Economia y Competitividad (EDU2013- development and increase their chances of being 43326-R). We would like to thank the participants employed, regardless of the professional sector. for their interest and collaboration in the study. References Alonso-Martín, P. (2010). La valoración de la importancia de las competencias transversales: comparación de su per- cepción al inicio y final de curso en alumnos de psicología. Revista de Investigación Educativa, 28(1), 119-140. https:// doi.org/10.7203/attic.2.82 Álvarez Pérez, P.R. y López Aguilar, D. (2012). Centralidad del trabajo y estabilidad del proyecto profesional y vital. 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Análisis del modelo teórico del test situacional de desarrollo de competencias básicas de empleabilidad: la pers- pectiva de los trabajadores. Pedagogía Social. Revista Interuniversitaria, 37, 27-38. DOI: 10.7179/ PSRI_2021.01 AUTHOR’S ADDRESS MERCÈ JARIOT-GARCIA. E-mail: Merce.Jariot@uab.cat JOSEFINA SALA-ROCA. E-mail: Fina.Sala@uab.cat LAURA ARNAU-SABATÉS. E-mail: laura.arnau@uab.cat TERESA MARZO ARPÓN. E-mail: mmarzo@peretarres.url.edu [ANALYSIS OF THE THEORICAL MODEL OF THE SITUATIONAL TEST FOR MEASURING THE DEVELOPMENT OF BASIC…] SIPS - PEDAGOGÍA SOCIAL. REVISTA INTERUNIVERSITARIA [(2021) 37, 23-38] TERCERA ÉPOCA Copyright © 2015 SIPS. Licencia Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial (by-nc) Spain 3.0 eISSN: 1989-9742 © SIPS. DOI: 10.7179/PSRI_2021.37.01 [38] http://recyt.fecyt.es/index.php/PSRI/ ACADEMIC PROFILE MERCÈ JARIOT-GARCIA. Profesora del departamento de Pedagogía Aplicada de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Forma parte del grupo de Investigación de Infancia y Adolescencia en Riesgo Social (IARS). Sus líneas de investigación se relacionan con la transición de los jóvenes ex tutelados a la vida adulta, la inserción socio laboral, el cambio de actitudes y la mejora y desarro- llo de las competencias de empleabilidad. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5061-2940. JOSEFINA SALA-ROCA. Profesora del departamento de Teorías de la Educación y Pedagogía So- cial de la Universidat Autònoma de Barcelona. Coordina el grupo de Investigación de Infancia y Adolescencia en Riesgo Social (IARS). El grupo IARS en colaboración con FEPA, FEDAIA y DGAIA ha desarrollado diversos estudios sobre los factores que inciden en el bienestar y desarrollo positi- vo de los jóvenes tutelados, así como de las dificultades y apoyos a su transición a la vida indepen- diente. Las investigaciones desarrolladas se han publicado en diversos artículos e informes. https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9829-5131. LAURA ARNAU-SABATÉS. Profesora del departamento de Teorías de la Educación y Pedagogía Social de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Forma parte del grupo de Investigación de Infan- cia y Adolescencia en Riesgo Social (IARS). Sus líneas de investigación se relacionan con la pro- tección a la infancia tutelada, la transición de los jóvenes ex tutelados a la vida adulta, la inserción socio laboral y la mejora y desarrollo de las competencias de empleabilidad. https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3359-4071 TERESA MARZO ARPÓN. Profesora del departamento de Educación social y Trabajo social de la Universidad Ramon Llull. Es miembro del grupo de Investigación de Infancia y Adolescencia en Riesgo Social (IARS) de la UAB y del grupo de Innovación y análisis social (GIAS) de la URL. Ha desa- rrollado con el grupo IARS varios estudios acerca de los factores que inciden tanto en el bienestar y desarrollo positivo de la infancia tutelada, como de las dificultades y apoyos necesarios en su transición hacia la vida independiente. Con el grupo GIAS ha realizado investigaciones acerca de la influencia que tiene participar en programas de acción social y educativa en la mejora de la calidad de vida de las personas en situación de vulnerabilidad social, especialmente la infancia. Los resulta- dos de las investigaciones se han presentado en congresos y publicado en revistas científicas. https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0684-1225 [Mercè JARIOT-GARCIA, Josefina SALA-ROCA, Laura ARNAU-SABATÉS & Teresa MARZO ARPÓN] SIPS - PEDAGOGÍA SOCIAL. REVISTA INTERUNIVERSITARIA [(2021) 37, 23-38] TERCERA ÉPOCA Copyright © 2015 SIPS. Licencia Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial (by-nc) Spain 3.0