Younger workers are the most affected by the incompatibility between labor offer and the demand for a medium standard qualification. There is a great need for studies on the operational workforce, which is a relevant competitiveness factor. This article's objectives are to investigate backgrounds and expectations from technical school student bodies, to identify motives for particular professional choices, and to evaluate public policies which seek a balance between school-acquired knowledge and expected knowledge in the workplace. The research found theoretical bases on previous work by Naville, Maslow and Aldefer (concerning motivation), adopting Meister's model for evaluating competitive advantages. The qualitative interviews with groups of teachers showed dissatisfaction regarding public policies of merit-based selection, while interviews with students proved that public policies for technical development do not meet their expectations. The interviews with the personnel responsible for selecting and hiring in companies which have students as their clients showed fragile ties between the schools and the companies, with precedence of electronic résumé databases over technical school clients.
qualification; competitiveness; merit-based selection