Vocational Training and Career Guidance: The Essence of Student Retention During the First Year of University Programs

Abstract

Introduction: In Ecuador, in recent years, there has been a steady increase in the number of students entering Higher Education. At the same time, there has also been a significant decrease in university dropout rates, with trends for 2025 predicting an increase of up to 25% during the first year of studies, which constitutes a national issue and a priority for Pedagogical Sciences.

Objective: This paper aims to describe a pedagogical approach for improving retention in Higher Education, based on vocational training and professional guidance, as a contribution to reducing dropout rates during the first year of studies.

Methods: A documentary review methodology and theoretical modeling were applied to support this pedagogical approach implemented within the Educational Model of Universidad International SEK (2025), which facilitates that the process of access to Higher Education demonstrates that the articulation between universities and prior education can be realized through vocational training and professional guidance of future students, thereby ensuring that they have a better understanding of the profession, an essential foundation for developing their professional motivation and, consequently, for achieving university retention.

Results: Professional education and vocational guidance conceptual differences is clearly argued. The study shows the need of a strategical relation between senior high school and university institutions, points out theoretical limitations and Ecuadorian freshmen retention rates. Likewise, a model for arising motivation is devised.  

Conclusions: The study accomplishes the objective of describing a pedagogic approach for improving retention rates in Higher Education. The suggested methods prove to be effective, they are reliable and relevant and feasible for the Ecuadorian context.