Corporations developing curriculum in schools

[smitcompton]

Hi,


Yesterday I learned that corporations like ExxonMobil were working with community colleges on curriculum so that the school produced students that Exxon could hire for their company. They have 9 community colleges in Texas that they work with. Other corps are doing the same thing in other areas.

Microsoft has worked with and sponsored grade schools for a number of yrs, but I never heard of the above.

Many corporations support immigration reform to get the already educated and trained people into this country. Must we now give over the Education system to corporations so that tomorrows workers will be able to support our standard of living.? Interesting question I think.


Annette

 

[movie zombie]

our education system has always been meant to provide workers to support local and national industry.
unfortunately, it is now an international economy.

 

[Lady_Disdain]

This is hardly new - there have been partnerships between colleges and corporations for a long time. Personally, I don't think it is a bad idea. Why do most people go to college? To get a good job when they graduate and most people will choose a college they think will increase their chances. Having this kind of partnership will help the graduating students get a good job. The corporation will share with the college what kind of specializations they look for, what skills, etc. The college considers that when making the curriculum. The corporation isn't developing the curriculum, it is giving input, just as academia gives input.

Colleges should be in touch with what employers want, with what entrepreneurs need and with what academia needs. Some will lean more towards one or the other of these, of course, and part of choosing a school is understanding this.

I studied in a very isolated school - they did not look outside their walls to see what the students would need in the real world. Academically, it was fantastic. Getting a job was not - the curricula didn't meet what prospective employers wanted. Getting into academia was hard as well, because of the isolation. The education provided would be greatly enhanced by the school actually listening.

 

[smitcompton]

Hi,


I agree that we have had internships in law, banking, and business for college students. There are technical colleges, like Devry, near where i live that supplies a certain level of workers to companies like Cisco Systems. What I thought was different here, was a few things. A community college is usually for two years and has a lower income student attending, who sometimes go on to a 4 yr college to continue their studies, but often do not.

The person who told this story was the Pres of Exxonmobil, and he made it sound as if it was a new idea, and he used the words."helping develop curriculum", which sounded more than just giving input. Exxon is based in Texas, so I would think they would have already given input. They want more immigration for higher paying jobs than our two yr college students can offer. I guess this is a start, but since exxon is already in Texas, I would think the schools would already have prepared their students. Are we in this bad shape that the concept of preparing students is lost.

I received a liberal arts education. For me, it was the right way way. We could get jobs in my time, and companies would train you themselves. Thats why it was new to me.


Annette

 

[TooPatient]

I don't see that as anything new and I don't think it is even a bad thing.

I'm getting my degrees so that I can go out and work. Part of why I like this area is that the big employers have worked directly with the university (and in turn the colleges) to prepare graduates to work for them (or their competitors since they need the same skills...). They even talk about how they bring recruiters from these companies to campus to hire you before graduation.

This is far better than hoping I've gone to the right place and hoping the school taught me what I needed only to find out that it really didn't and no one will hire me. (been there, done that, still paying the loans )

 

[distracts]

Yeah, that's been happening for a long time. I mean, I graduated from HS ten years ago (also Texas) and whenever we took AP tests, TI paid us depending on our grade. Bought my first iPod with that TI AP money. If there aren't workers that have the skills the companies need, the companies will have to look farther afield to hire or move, and that incurs extra expenses for them. Honestly, I don't see anything wrong with it. It probably produces much better results than what happens when politicians try to get involved. Almost every student I know who went to a public DISD high school got at least $100 from TI, quite a few of us got into the thousands. Teachers also get money per each student who passes, and at my school that money was all put into classroom enrichment, field trips, etc.

http://www.ti.com/corp/docs/csr/2010/news_ap_incentive.shtml

 

[smitcompton]

Hi,

This is good to know its ok with most of you, and that its not a new idea. At this point in our Ed system help is appreciated. Harvard, Yale, Princeton etc prepare their students well, and they do get the best jobs, but i doubt a particular Corporation develops curriculum
for them. But it is better than the politicians doing it.

Thanks All


Annette