tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6639534124365545851.post1374521747436312751..comments2018-02-28T07:06:38.115-05:00Comments on Grazing: Steve Ehrmann: Why are Employers Dissatisfied With Universities?Steve Ehrmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16960072471169560307noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6639534124365545851.post-71167556154483446112013-10-02T04:02:00.665-04:002013-10-02T04:02:00.665-04:00First, my perspective is that of someone who has b...First, my perspective is that of someone who has been working in the pharmaceutical industry for more than 30 years, a considerable part of that time in executive roles; I suspect that I am not much different than someone working in any sector for that long. <br /><br />It amuses me to see that employers want recent graduates, whose relatively lower salaries they want to pay, to have the abilities which only years of real work experience can bring. It is in line with the fact that, in advertising positions, the level of experience which will be paid is 2-3 years and the quality of experience which is wanted is 10 - 20 years. <br /><br />Get students the tools and orientation they need while they are in the university and do that as efficiently as possible. Then get them out of there and let them use the tools, throw them into the work world and get them the best coaching available (which also might not be ideal) and let them truly develop. Apprenticeships and work-study programs are some possibilities, but there might be more. <br /><br />Keep in mind that at the university the students are paying to get the tools. In industry the employees are being paid to apply those tools. The free market does work in this situation, but unfortunately with too great a delay - those who are in the lag will suffer. Industry liaison offices and exposure of decision making and classroom educators to the work environment might help here.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6639534124365545851.post-6074214619065328582013-10-01T17:18:07.976-04:002013-10-01T17:18:07.976-04:00But this analysis omits a critical component: stud...But this analysis omits a critical component: student motivation. Students want a credential rather than an education, and perhaps we foster that by creating every more specialized "majors" and by stressing the financial benefit of any given credential. We also probably contribute to that by treating general education as what a colleague once referred to as a "speed bump," as something to "get out of the way." And, though we're getting better, higher ed in general (with some exemplary exceptions like nursing) is terrible at defining learning outcomes. <br /><br />But to get back to the students. As a teacher of first-year writing many years ago, I endeavored to demonstrate the value of writing in other disciplines. So I had faculty from other departments come speak to my class once each term. And what happened? The students ARGUED with those other faculty. "Why should you care?" they asked. <br /><br />Maybe we need employers to give talks at freshman orientation or in first year seminars to help students value the skills employers need. To a certain extent, it doesn't matter what employers value or how closely they work with educators or even how we construct our curricula, if our STUDENTS (and their parents) don't value those skills and ways of learning. We lead 'em to the water but it's much more difficult to make 'em drink!Peg Wherryhttp://eu.montana.edu/onlinenoreply@blogger.com