A Service-Learning project brought together students from the Universidade Católica Portuguesa in Porto and students in Vocational Secondary Education from Escola Secundária Augusto Gomes. The initiative included mentoring in CV elaboration, mock job interviews, and the sharing of experiences on the Campus Foz.
The campus of the Universidade Católica Portuguesa (UCP), in Porto, welcomed dozens of students in Vocational Education from Escola Secundária Augusto Gomes (ESAG) for an immersive experience in a university and organisational setting. The visit marked the conclusion of the project “Workshops to Support Entry into the Job Market”, whose main purpose was to equip young people with the tools needed for a secure and sustainable transition into the labour market.
This initiative was developed as part of a Service-Learning project integrated into the course unit “People Recruitment, Selection and Integration” within the Master’s in Psychology of Human Resources Development, of the Faculty of Education and Psychology (FEP-UCP), and the Master’s in Management (specialisation in Human Resources) at the Católica Porto Business School (CPBS).
Pedagogical reciprocity: impact on the community and on training
The project was based on a mutually beneficial model, promoting the connection between academic theory and practice in a real-world context. Throughout the semester, UCP students were challenged to apply their knowledge in a real intervention focused on preparing students in vocational education for their transition into the labour market. This work involved ongoing collaboration between the two institutions, including in-person sessions at the school and, subsequently, hosting the secondary students at the university, culminating in an immersive experience of simulated job interviews. The practical workshops were designed with a focus on drafting and refining curriculum vitae (CVs) and behavioural preparation for recruitment processes.
“The project was designed from a perspective of pedagogical reciprocity, in which both parties learn through interaction, practice, and reflection on real situations,” explains Filipa Sobral, coordinator of the Master’s in Psychology of Human Resources Development at FEP-UCP and the person responsible for coordinating the initiative.
The closing stage of the training pathway took place on the Católica campus with a realistic simulation of job interviews. During this activity, students in vocational education tested their positioning and received structured and specialised feedback from the master’s students.
Consolidation of technical and human skills
For the school’s psychology office and the ESAG leadership team, the intervention proved to be a valuable contribution to the students’ in vocational education journey. School psychologist Gisela Baltazar and assistant to the director Sandra Gomes state that the project acted as an “accelerator of both human and technical skills”, enabling students “to plan their path more confidently after completing secondary education”.
At the same time, the initiative provided a crucial experiential learning opportunity for students from FEP-UCP and CPBS. Key technical and behavioural competencies in the field of human resources were applied and strengthened, including conducting interviews, assessing candidates based on structured criteria, interpersonal communication, active listening, and decision-making.
Simultaneously, the project fostered transferable skills such as social responsibility, adaptability, and the ability to work with diverse audiences.
Strategic alignment between levels of education
More than just a technical response to labour market demands, the initiative helped to reduce institutional and social barriers between secondary/vocational education and higher education. Filipa Sobral highlights the institutional impact of this proximity, noting that the project enabled students in vocational education to see university as an accessible and relevant pathway for continuing their studies.
Moreover, the lecturer emphasises that the experience allowed Católica students to better understand the educational and professional trajectories of young people preparing to enter the labour market, fostering the development of more inclusive practices in their future professional roles.
Through the implementation of this project, FEP-UCP reaffirms its commitment to community engagement, demonstrating the importance of Service-Learning in training professionals who are both socially aware and technically prepared.
