REDESIGNING THE SCHOOL-TO-WORK

TRANSITION

Part 1 – Empathize & Define

STAKEHOLDER PROFILE

CRISTINA SOFRONE

My 21 year old sister

Fresh undergraduate, looking for a suitable Masters Programme

& a part-time job in Romania

Studied economics so far and would like a career in online

marketing & communication

CRISTINA SAYS:

“I want to continue my studies and get a specialization but I can’t afford

not to get a job and continue to receive money from my parents”

“I wish for a part-time job so that I still have enough time to go to

University but I know that there are very few available on the market ”

“At university so far I’ve learnt a lot of theory but few close to 0 practical

courses which makes me think I don’t actually know how to do anything”

“I’m pretty sure my first job ever will have nothing to do with what I’ll be

studying in University because it’s going to be more about getting some

money fast and not necessarily the first step in my desired career”

CRISTINA SAYS:

“I’m willing to do internships but only if they are paid. I find the

concept of working for free wrong in the current economy where

money is scarce for the young people”

“I wish the University would be a true support in helping students

get hired, right now they don’t do anything. There’s not even a

counselor or psychologist available to talk about these kind of things”

“I would like to work in an environment where I can experiment with

tools & technology and where I am not afraid of making mistakes”

CRISTINA DOES:

Look for jobs online. She first looks after the kind of job she

would like to do and after acknowledging the lack of them (or the

higher standard of expertise one must have), searches for low-

entry job in any field.

Get influenced easily by her friends. She easily jumps on the

bandwagon, whether it’s a Masters Programme or looking for a

particular type of job.

Not know her rights as a future employee

Hope to overcome the lack of practical knowledge by

enthusiasm and great attention for what the others around her

are doing (learn by doing)

CRISTINA THINKS

She shouldn't wait to finish her studies to get a job so that

she won’t miss on different opportunities

Universities could do a lot more in helping students figure

out what careers they are more suitable for them

The curriculum in the university is old fashioned and

inappropriate for the current job market and requirements

Professors and company managers should find ways to

collaborate in order to help people live to their full potential

CRISTINA FEELS

A lack of confidence in her powers >> unprepared

Unwanted

Lost

Scared of responsibility

Hungry for knowledge

The need to be considered useful

INSIGHTS

Cristina is not confident about her future yet, just like the rest of her

generation peers

Universities in Romania don’t have in their internal structures people

who can offer advice and guidance for career choices, leaving students

to trust their feelings, their parents and their entourage

Students often end up pursuing careers very different from what

they studied in school (not necessarily a bad thing but there are too

many doing this which is a clear sign we have a problem on our hands)

PROBLEM STATEMENT

Cristina, a confused young girl struggling to get

her first job after finishing university, needs to

develop a system that will help her figure out what

are the most suitable jobs for her talents and skills

because too often students in Romania end up

working just for the sake of earning some money

and not developing a career.