Every business is looking for that extra edge — that one little thing that will pull an organization past its competitors and to the head of its industry.
Perhaps you’ve considered trying new and advanced technologies. Maybe you’re thinking about implementing some efficient processes. But have you thought about going back to school?
“Partnering with your local colleges and universities brings a company great service, offered free, with no strings attached,” says Melissa Hulsey, the president and CEO of Ashton. “That should get the attention of any business in this economic climate and it is a great way to describe the career services offered by many colleges and universities in Georgia and around the country.”
Smart Business spoke with Hulsey about partnering with local colleges and universities and the value that comes from such partnerships.
How can partnering with local schools be mutually beneficial?
Employers can post their job openings to the colleges’ and universities’ websites at no cost, where both students and alumni can access them at any time. Not only that, companies can schedule on-campus recruiting visits, have access to statewide resume books and participate in career fairs. This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the benefits that employers can see from a partnership.
The students and alumni also benefit by having access to companies they may not have been able to connect with before. Thus, students can obtain valuable experience related to their majors and possibly identify and reach out to their future employers. The schools also benefit because they’re the ones providing these resources. A partnership with a college or university is truly a win, win, win situation.
How can a business work with a school to develop internship programs and mentoring?
The first step in developing an internship or co-op program is to contact the career services department of the desired college or university. Generally, an internship is defined as a job relating to the major of the participating student, that is one semester long and may be paid or unpaid. A co-op is also a job relating to the major of the participating student, but it is generally two semesters long and must be paid. A career services representative can assist in deciding what program will work best for your business. They can also assist in defining job requirements, establishing a rate of pay, if applicable, and reviewing the program for areas of improvement.
On-campus interviews and automated applicant tracking make this an easy program to implement into a company’s new hire process.
Another great benefit businesses can see is the supervisory experience that internships or co-ops can offer to full-time staff. Junior staff members can manage the internship/co-op process, giving them valuable training, again at no cost to the company.
