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Employer Quotes

The quotes below are from employers in this industry: Manufacturing

They are talking about this topic: Educational Partnerships

 

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The quotes below are about this issue:
Many employers are currently involved in internship programs through high schools or local colleges. Employers would like to see more candidates who have internship or workplace-based experience. Many employers are interested in partnering with MnSCU to create stronger partnerships in this area.

Employer Quote Region
"That's where our group comes in. There are manufacturers in the Fabricating Association. We're 85 members strong. We not only take students into the program—through machine tooling—in the middle schools and high schools and MnSCU, but we also we work very closely with all of the MnSCU colleges, from the Iron Range to northern Wisconsin." Northeast
"We talked about technical skills from a small business perspective, for example, IT skills. We're not in a position where our company can afford to hire a full-time IT programmer, an IT support person, whatever. We've learned to wear multiple hats in our company. But what we need to do is develop some way to partner with [MnSCU college] and other MnSCU systems so that we can tap into graduates coming out on a part-time or an internship basis—or some other basis—where we can both benefit. Where we can have a mutual relationship that is cost-effective and utilizes resources. We were looking at an opportunity, but we couldn't tap into it because the lab was closed during the summer and we couldn't use the resources. There has to be a partnership established for the benefit of both the students and the businesses in the area. We could have had a potential position there. We took a different course of action because we couldn't work it out." Northeast
"Employer 1: From what I've seen, I think that the students need to be more involved, whether it's being a student-worker or something that's more involved with the school. I don't know if there are programs where the students can get more involved—rather than them just coming in, doing their criteria for that class, and then heading out. Something that can get them more involved. I think that's a main factor—internships within companies.

Employer 2: Something like students working jobs on multiple shifts that familiarize them with the workforce while they're still in school. And it's a good screening opportunity for the employer.

Employer 1: Yes. And it gives the employer a chance to assess that student's soft skills right away."		 Northeast
"I wanted to talk about a relationship that we're trying to create with a college. We had been in discussion about working with them on internships because it would be nice to get students to understand—before they even go out looking for a job—what it entails. Without an internship, students often don't realize the labor intensity of things. So, being able to work with a college to create an internship program would be helpful. When you're older, you're an operator, you're a mechanic, you're working with hydraulics. So, you're putting all those skills into use. But, figuring out when you're younger, is that 12-hour shift with minimal supervision something that's going to be right for me? So, I think continuing to partner with a school to create internships is important—to see on both sides. The internship lets the employer ask, 'Does this student, as an employee, offer what we are looking for?' And the student gets to ask, 'Is this really the type of job that I want to get into?'" Northeast