Assessing TEC21 Educational Model's Impact on Transversal Competencies among Undergraduates in Internship Programs

In recent years, research has emphasized a widening skills gap between job requirements and graduate qualifications. This gap hinders university-to-industry transitions, exacerbating unemployment and talent shortages. Tecnologico de Monterrey introduced TEC21 in 2019, an educational model emphasizing challenge-based and competency-based learning to tackle these issues. A qualitative research design with semi-structured interviews was used to explore the college-to-work transition experience of ten third-year engineering students. The present research reports their perceptions during internships regarding the gains and tools enhanced by the educational model toward improved performance at professional practice within the industry. We analyzed the seven transversal competencies postulated by TEC21. As a result of this exploratory study, participants reported that this model could be considered effective training for improved internship performance. Results included the competencies that students identified as relevant to their professional practice and their level of proficiency in each competency (incipient, intermediate, or advanced). Beyond the limitations of the research, these results contribute to the broader discourse on bridging the gap between academic and industry competencies and highlight the need for incorporating continuous improvement systems to increase the adaptability of the educational models to the fast-evolving requirements of Industry 4.0. Moreover, they could inspire other higher education institutions to implement similar methodologies to keep up with the changing demands of the labor market and continue to be a driving force for societal improvement.