| A Conversation with Judy London: Educating Our Future Workforce |
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The Seattle-based for-profit organization has 75 corporate members, mainly Fortune 500 companies. It provides research aimed at improving workforce productivity. In a recent survey of 298 companies, the organization found that almost 80% view K-12 education quality as critical to a successful workforce. Companies surveyed were primarily Fortune 500, representing a wide spectrum of industries and ranging from under 1,000 to 10,000-plus employees. While willing to show K-12 and higher education the money, businesses are unsure of just how effective their partnerships are, the survey showed. London spoke with HotChalk recently about the survey results and the changing nature of education/business partnerships. Name: Judy London
Education: B.A., English Literature, University of Wisconsin-Madison; M.A., Gerontology, University of South Florida, Tampa Q: What do businesses regard as the most critical skills for workplace readiness?A: First, they’re looking at interpersonal and teamwork skills, as well as communication skills, which include writing and speaking. Just over 65% of the 298 companies responding to i4cp’s “Taking the Pulse: K-12 Education” survey ranked those curriculum areas as most critical to workplace readiness. Not far behind were analytical thinking and problem-solving skills, with just under 63% of the companies ranking those as critical. Essentially, organizations want students who can apply academic knowledge to the workplace, and who can use problem-solving/analytical skills to develop actionable business strategies. Science and math skills are also seen as highly critical. They were cited by just over half of the companies surveyed. And other research shows that businesses across the board are looking for graduates with knowledge of the global marketplace. Q: What did the study show about the numbers and kinds of business/education partnerships?A: Over 65% of the businesses surveyed are engaged in educational partnerships. Volunteerism is the largest category at 61%, followed by donating professional expertise at over 56%. Specifically, some partnerships, such as General Electric’s College Bound, are donating management expertise at the school-district level. Others offer technological skills and expertise for tracking and benchmarking student progress. Some schools are using business management strategies to help students and teachers set classroom goals and measure achievements. Q: In the current economy, what’s the business perspective on partnerships with education?A: They’re putting a lot of money into schools. But with budgets tightening, organizations will want to see concrete results from their investments. Q: How do businesses measure success in their collaborative efforts with education?A: The survey showed that 27% track academic improvement, 25% track job entry and retention, 14% track college enrollments, and 13% track high school completion. Yet, more than 40% still don’t measure results. Businesses say they need better technology to track partnership results more precisely. Q: How are business/education partnerships changing?A: In the past, many companies were simply “enhancing their brand” by participating in partnerships with schools. But with skills shortages becoming so critical, it’s no longer just about being altruistic. Education has become a highly practical business concern. Business/education consortia, which often include the involvement of community and government groups, may speed up school reform. They’re looking for ways to improve curriculums, educate teachers about the workplace, and bring businesspeople into the schools. Q: What’s the overall direction of business/education collaborations?A: They’re gathering steam. I believe there’s something new going on here –- a higher level of collaboration. Businesses are being called upon to take a leadership role in highlighting the crisis in education, and getting all stakeholders involved.  Sheila Riley
is a San Francisco-based freelance journalist. She is also an
experienced online editor and ESL curriculum developer, and teaches ESL
at City College of San Francisco. POSTED ON HOTCHALK.COM
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Collaboration among business, government, education, and community
groups is a basic requirement in shaping school reform, according to
Judy London, a research analyst/writer covering education issues at the
Institute for Corporate Productivity (i4cp).
Title: Research Analyst, Institute for Corporate Productivity (i4cp)
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