Competencies developed by students while working in nutrition junior enterprises

Introduction: Reflections arise on how junior companies have been structuring themselves alongside the teaching dynamics in Brazilian universities and their effective contributions to the professional training and development of skills of their members. Thus, this study aimed to identify competencies perceived by students in nutrition junior enterprises in Brazil and compare them according to their profile (time of participation, number of positions and weekly workload). Methods: Cross-sectional study, carried out with a representative sample of students working in nutrition junior enterprises. Self-reported variables were collected on sociodemographic, occupational, technical-scientific performance data, aptitude for entering the job market, intention of professional activity and perception of the skills developed. Pearson's Chi-square test or Fisher's exact test was used to determine differences in the perception of acquired skills between the performance profiles. Results: Participation in junior enterprises influenced the development of various entrepreneurial skills that change according to the student's performance profile in junior enterprises. The greater dedication of time and activities in junior companies provided recognition of significant skills such as leadership (p<0.001), problem-solving ability (p<0.01), and social responsibility (p=0.05). On the other hand, only a quarter of students took courses on entrepreneurship and only two in ten were willing to become an entrepreneur after academic training. Conclusion: This study presents which entrepreneurial skills are most developed through participation in a junior enterprise. This research can contribute to promoting scientific data on entrepreneurship education, which is still scarce in developing countries. Furthermore, it can encourage the participation of students in junior enterprises and promote support for this activity among professors and universities.