Introduction
Every year, thousands of students graduate from universities but cannot find jobs. In a country that has a huge young population, this is a problem. What we need are more industry-ready students who can get hired easily and start contributing towards the growth of their economy. That’s why schools need to implement strategies that help students become industry ready:
Inculcate interdisciplinary education.
Interdisciplinary research is an approach to solving problems that involve a combination of two or more academic disciplines. It provides students with opportunities to learn across traditional boundaries, allowing them to develop skills in critical thinking, problem-solving and communication. Achieving this requires students to collaborate with people from different fields—for example, working with a teacher in a class can help an aspiring teacher learn about B Ed teaching models and pursue teaching as a profession.
Incorporate interdisciplinary knowledge into every course you teach. You may be teaching about the topic of health but don’t just cover medicine; also talk about nutrition, exercise and mental well-being. You might teach geography but focus not only on physical geography (elevation) but also on human geography (population density). When it comes time for your student’s final exams, make sure they’re tested on their knowledge across all areas rather than just one subject area at a time.
Encourage self-learning in students.
To help students become industry-ready, educators can advocate for more learning and career development opportunities outside of the classroom environment. Students benefit from time spent on their own with technology, whether at home or school because it gives them autonomy over their learning and helps them develop skills like creativity and problem-solving.
Encourage your school to provide access to computers and other devices so you can use them as tools for learning outside of class time. Even teachers can read about B Ed teaching models and scope of teaching as a profession. Additionally, encourage your teachers to include assignments where students have free choice in what they choose to learn about or explore within certain topics.
Set up more internship opportunities and boot camps.
Internships are a great way for students to learn about the industry and get their foot in the door. The average length of an internship is six months, so it can be tricky for students who do not have the luxury of living near their school or who are not from that area. However, if you set up internships with companies in your area, this problem will be solved!
In addition to internships, boot camps are another good way for students to get up to speed quickly. Boot camps are short intensive training programs that help people learn new skills or improve on existing ones quickly—typically lasting one month or less! Even teachers can train aspiring teachers under their guidance and guide students to take teaching as a profession shortly.
Get experts from the industry to deliver lectures at your school.
A lot of schools are doing this now. It’s the best way to get students industry ready.
If you’re looking for an industry expert to deliver lectures at your school, there are a few things you should keep in mind:
- Who do you need? What kind of expertise do they have? What makes them an expert? And why would they consider speaking at your school? If they won’t be able to answer these questions, it’s probably not worth it.
- How do I find them and convince them to come? This is where the internet comes into play! Use LinkedIn and other social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to network with professionals from relevant industries who might be willing to visit your campus for free (or for a small fee). There are plenty of ways out there—just look around!
Train faculty to be more industry-focused.
Training faculty to be more industry-focused is a great way to give students a better chance at graduating and finding employment.
The best way to do this is through online teacher training programmes that focus on the skills employers require.
Implement experiential learning.
Experiential learning is a more effective way to learn. It can be hands-on, real-world experiences or simulated, virtual or online. Experiential learning can take many forms, but all of them are intended to give students opportunities for reflection on their development and future careers. Some examples include:
- apprenticeships where students train with professionals on the job; and
- co-op programs that allow high school students to earn credit while also gaining experience in fields related to their academic studies.
Make efforts to create a more agile, industry-relevant curriculum, with the support of industry partners, training and certification bodies.
In addition to traditional areas such as production and marketing, schools need to work with their local communities to better understand the needs and challenges faced by students in today’s economy.
Partnerships with industry partners—both large and small—will help your school provide students with opportunities that are both practical and fulfilling. This will help build relationships between your institution and potential employers within the community or region.
To ensure that these connections have a real impact on student outcomes (and completion rates), consider partnering with training bodies that can deliver tailored support services, including pre-employment skills development programmes, online resources (including virtual classrooms), certificates/diplomas/degrees which offer recognition from employers who value them highly when recruiting new staff members into their organisations.
Conclusion
A good education system must equip students with the skills they need to become industry ready. To do this, schools must implement a comprehensive curriculum that includes interdisciplinary learning and experiential learning opportunities. They also need to work closely with industry partners and training and certification bodies who can offer support in developing these programmes.