Corporate University Partnering
The benefits to companies of building relationships with universities and colleges
It is in the best interest of the human resources and training departments to build key relationships with at least a few targeted universities. Universities can provide talent. This talent can take the form of outsourced training vendors or new recruits to fill postings or internship positions.
Ways to Get Involved
1. Career Fairs
Participating in university or college career fairs provides company exposure to new grads looking for work and brings about awareness of your company to faculty, staff and students. It is a great way to start building a relationship with the university. Typically you pay a fee to secure a table in a trade-show like setting. The university may provide advertising for your company in a flyer or program if you register early enough. You may also provide prizes for draws for added exposure.
Bring company literature to hand out to students and free give-aways that would appeal to a student population. Free bottled water (with company logo) candy, granola bars or other food give-aways are well-received in a student population. Other ideas are note books, highlighters, pens, pencils and sticky-notes customized with your company's web address or other contact information.
2. Guest Speaking
One of the best ways a company can start building a relationship with universities is through company executives offering their knowledge and expertise to students through guest speaking engagements. It is a win-win proposition as company executives receive a professional development opportunity and university students get exposed to a highly respected industry representative. It is also a great way for company executives to scope out students for potential talent. Professors welcome the opportunity to introduce students to someone working in their field of interest. It forms a great bridge between academics and industry.
3. Advisory Boards
Here is an opportunity for your company to influence the curriculum of programs! This can be a very valuable asset if your company requires a specific skill set in employees. Sitting on an advisory board also gives company executives a professional development opportunity and a networking opportunity as boards tend to attract the who's who from industry.
Benefits to the Company
1. New Recruits
Finding good talent is hard. If your company is growing and requires fresh, young well-trained talent to energize your team, building relationships with universities and colleges will encourage young grads to look to your company for internship or full-time opportunities.
2. Outsourced Training Vendors
Universities and colleges are terrific sources of instructional talent. Most colleges and universities will customize professional development training for companies through their continuing studies departments. Networking within the colleges and universities will help a company tap in to a wealth of expertise that can give staff a motivational push when they attend workshops or other corporate training opportunities lead by university professors.
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