Practice makes perfect? : En studie av praktikens betydelse för anställningsbarhet

Sammanfattning: Abstract The aim of this study is to examine and analyze the advantages and limitations of practicum at the HR-program at Uppsala university in the years of 1986-1995 through summarized practicum reports, while focusing on learning in relation to academically based employability. This approach is used to further understand the influence practicum has on employability in relation to the three objectives of higher education. The three objectives are; the usefulness-, competitive- and literate perspective.   The study partly contains an account of the students own experiences and thoughts regarding the practicum as well as a summary and an analysis of the content of said practicum in relation to the education and academically based employability. The research questions of this study seeks to answer the motives and background of the practicum and also the benefits and limitations that comes with it. The data of this study consist of individual summary reports that the students have made in connection to the semester in which the practicum took place. The summaries contain some of the tasks that the students performed but also an account of the students own thoughts and experiences of their practicum.   Method: The data collection method consists of qualitative content analysis and a semi-structured interview.   The results show that the students believe that the practicum has contributed to improve their own employability by providing better capabilities and a deeper understanding of their professional field. The results of the study also show that a big part of the practicum has involved informal learning as well as adaptive- and development learning which has contributed to the development of the students. The conclusion is that the practicum has been important to the students as it has contributed to their personal development and also improved their employability.