The role of the key competencies in enhancing students’ motivation to finish their studies

Abstract

The article focuses on findings developed by the School&Work project (Programme: Erasmus+ KA2 – Strategic Partnership) within a partnership involving six countries: Italy, Belgium, France, Lithuania, Romania and Spain. The main objectives of the project aim at improving the job orientation services and experiences offered by schools and at establishing a more concrete and effective cooperation between schools and the world of work. The article highlights the role that key competencies can play in enhancing students’ learning experience and in motivating them to learn and complete their studies. Besides learning about a range of subjects students need to learn how to learn, how to communicate with others, how to think independently and be motivated to learn throughout their lives. All this is requested by the job market and valued by companies when recruiting staff. Based on thorough research on existing data and findings of similar European projects the project provides school teachers, advisors and counsellors with the necessary skills and tools to enable students to identify their interests and aptitudes and match them with a possible future career. The article states that an appropriate correlation between students’ personal aptitudes and interests and the skills that are requested by the job market may motivate students at risk of early school leaving to continue their studies.