The new regulation on external work experience of university students: reinforcing the formative purpose and improving employability

Abstract

For the past few decades many universities have offered their students the possibility of doing work placement either inside or outside their curriculum. Many companies, public administrations and other organizations have integrated work placement as part of their social and human resources policy, and in such cases employees work alongside university students gaining work experience, sometimes with remuneration through a grant, scholarship or similar.

In the current context of external work experience of university students, the regulation of this subject by Royal Decree 1497/1981 was totally inadequate, highlighting the need for a new regulation. This need has been met by Royal Decree 1707/2011 of 18 November, regulating external work experience of university students.

The present study conducts a comprehensive analysis of the new legal regime of external work experience established by Royal Decree 1707/2011, with particular emphasis on compliance with the formative purpose, which allows work experience to be defined as purely academic. It also considers the role that external work experience can play in improving the employability of university students in the current context of recession and high youth unemployment.