Abstract

TORRE LOPEZ, Teresa Margarita; MUNGUIA-CORTES, Jazmín Aranzazú  and  TORRES-VALDOVINOS, María Maura. Social representations about employment and unemployment of university students from Quito, Ecuador. Reflexiones [online]. 2018, vol.97, n.2, pp.7-22. ISSN 1659-2859.  http://dx.doi.org/10.15517/rr.v97i2.32704.

The objective of this study is to analyze the social representations (SR) of employment and unemployment of college students from Quito, Ecuador. The associative technique of free lists was used to know the content and structure of the SR, as well as the identification of the central nucleus and the peripheral elements. For the participants, employment is an occupation and a right that is carried out in exchange for a salary, requires experience, knowledge, commitment, effort, motivation, responsibility, as well as the possibility to find it. It generates emotional and economic stability, well-being, authority, development, dignity, and personal independence along with a promising future and successes. Sometimes, in a negative way, when it does not meet one's needs and expectations, it can be exhausting and dissatisfying. Unemployment is defined as a situation where someone of working age is not able to get a job; it generates poverty and debt. It also produces psychological instability, dependence, lack of personal development, and negative emotions such as anxiety and depression. In addition, it causes family problems such as divorce and lack of study opportunities in children. Moreover, there are few open positions for students. The participants states, as one of its elementary conclusions that there are two ways of coping with unemployment: to seek employment with effort and humility, or to emigrate. The SR on the concepts studied show a complex and holistic view, since not only elements of economic type are included but also the personal and social effects that the problem implies.

Keywords : Youth employment; Youth unemployment; Labour; education and employment; Traditional knowledge.

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