Enhancing Employability Through Student Mobility: Experiences of Graduates from Underprivileged Contexts in Mexican Technological Universities

This study examines the impact of short-term international student mobility on the career trajectories of graduates from low-income backgrounds. Based on semi-structured interviews with Mexican participants who studied at U.S. community colleges between 2014 to 2016, the analysis draws on concepts such as employability and transnational human capital. The findings are structured around participants’ career progression, identifying three trajectory patterns: a) Continuous Career Progression , b) Career Progression with Initial Employment Difficulties , and c) No Career Progression . For each type of trajectory, the most influential factors are highlighted. Results indicate that student mobility contributes to medium-term improvements in employability and labor market positioning for socially disadvantaged individuals. However, structural factors limit its overall impact. The study concludes that, while mobility enhances the employment outcomes of individuals from low socioeconomic backgrounds, its effectiveness depends on broader social and economic conditions and on its interaction with other key factors in professional development.