UNICORPS

Abstract

The model for how higher education interfaces with businesses is broken. This has not occurred overnight; it has been gradually occurring for years. For those in the business sector, searching for solutions to talent management questions, the problem has reached an inflection point. Technological advances have broken down classical barriers to global workforce management, demanding new and different skill sets from employees and requiring companies to rethink their recruitment and development practices. Gratton (2011) observed five forces have dramatically reshaped work and life--globalization, advancements in technology, changing demographics in the workforce, longevity, and social changes. In the business sector, companies that failed to adapt quickly enough have lost market share and eventually been replaced by more innovative, adaptive organizations that take full advantage of globalization and technology (Christensen, 2000). In the academic world, challenges posed by Khan Academy, Coursera, and iTunes University are a further reflection of the changing times. The role higher education plays is changing because products sold by academia have been commoditized. For universities and colleges to survive, they must show greater differentiation and value compared with other resources. Currently, 50% of students fail to see the value of a college education in preparing for future employment. Businesses report there is a lack of qualified applicants for entry-level roles. Yet, and most surprising, 72% of post-secondary education providers responded graduates from my institution are adequately prepared for entry-level positions in their chosen field of study on a survey (Manpower Group, 2013; Mourshed, Farrell, & Barton, 2013). Clearly, there is a disconnect; what can we do? Core to the dilemma is how business and education each define their various roles. Historically, we in business have approached the academic supermarket to pick the desired individuals. Those in higher education, for their part, have conveyed knowledge. This worked fine when skills, technology, and sourced jobs remained static. However, the skill sets needed in today's jobs are morphing to the business's inherent challenges. In some sectors, learning on-the-job cannot keep up with role demands. Companies find mental agility one of the most critical capabilities required today, along with the ability to influence people over whom one has no direct authority. I would add to these the ability to dissect a problem, look beyond the obvious, and deal with ambiguity. In business, we need a greater focus on training students how to think through problems and present ideas clearly. We can Google the information found in many textbooks. To accomplish such needs, higher education and business need to partner more effectively. Academia can do this by recognizing how businesses are changing and better aligning classroom teaching with the capabilities required in communities. Businesses need to move beyond picking talent and engage institutes of higher education in creating talent. This is happening in some businesses now. Companies recognize a need to provide lifetime learning and developmental opportunities. However, for this partnership to flourish, colleges and universities can no longer keep the outside world at bay. They need to communicate and collaborate with businesses and develop an integrated strategy for partnering. As a talent management professional, I see opportunities for academia to partner on two fronts-assisting businesses in training and recruiting graduates straight out of college as well as providing customized curriculum that focuses on industry-specific content. I elaborate on both, briefly, below. Training and Recruiting Graduates If we look at how adults learn, learning is best and more sustainable when it occurs on-the-job. In most companies, we think 70% of development occurs as part of the actual job. …