Barrett Business

It is a book that has long been in preparation.

It is my opinion that the education system is facing greater challenges today than ever before. Consequently, there are shots fired at it, while some of these plans are not justified, others are.

For many years I felt that there was a gap between the educational system and the business community. In the past 30 years, most of my career I was fortunate to have been implicated in many sectors disparate atomic energy research Yacht Racing (I thought I can not think of 'Z') and almost all the letters between the two. In each of these industries I have heard the same comment.

What is wrong with our education system? We get kids straight out of school or college, and they know nothing.

It is a severe critic, and not one that should be taken literally. What the speaker means is that the graduated student offers no instant recovery, no immediate return on investment. So much time and effort should be made to the productive person within the company. How can we solve this problem? It would be impossible to teach a course on all the sectors and all functions within this industry!

Jim Leatherwood author may have a solution, build partnerships with industry, "he said. As he explains, the school's relationship to traditional industry has been very one-sided affair, a case that involves the flow of money from the business school to support a school activity. The football team needs new uniforms, the gym needs new equipment, the Library needs new books, etc., etc. This tactic is getting old.

What is needed is a way that benefits both partners. How can this be done?

Facing the Future Together gives us the model, by partnering, both sides have huge gains, and none of the disadvantages.

Do not get me wrong, there are costs involved, but they tend to be incidental expenses. Instead of a company to send a check for $ 1,000 to buy new team uniforms for soccer, $ 1,000 is a nice price that comes from time spent by employees, perhaps mentoring students, or do a "show and tell about their job or even a teacher to be" invited "to a class on how this aspect of mathematics, science, English, refers to a real life situation . The relevance of real life can not be stressed enough. I slogged through the boring math problems and how long a bath is required to close if the plug has been left behind, that everything is an interesting exploration in the application of mathematical theories, no relevance in the real world. Just think how much fun it was to have a visiting professor at the local water authority about supply and demand for water? How they must have enough on tap to meet needs, but not too much.

What the company in return for their generosity? Well at the most basic level, children have parents, relatives and buy stuff. If children are excited about a product, chances are the parent track. In the longer term, by providing internships, you have a supply of new workers, more importantly, workers who know your industry and can be productive from day one. There are secondary benefits, and, in the eyes of the community you're a good corporate citizen, you are seen to care.

This is not "pie in the sky idea, it's real life, if you look at the big companies today, Google Microsoft, IBM, etc., is how they work. You give to get.

Facing the Future Together should be on all educators in the playlist. In fact, it should be on the list of all business as well. There are no disadvantages to this partnership. The school is gaining credibility, the company gains recognition and a ready artwork