During the analysis, it was observed that one of the main problems faced today in personnel training – the existence of a discrepancy between theory and practice-that is, theoretical knowledge in higher education institutions is not strengthened by sufficient practice, and foreign prestigious universities are divided into witnesses that this situation is being tried to solve by expanding cooperation with employers, taking into account their
The development of cooperation between universities and employers is a modern requirement of today. Because now the labor market is changing rapidly. According to labor market analysis, the implementation of digital technology and technical achievements will negatively affect 1.2 billion employees worldwide over the next decade, and the fall in demand for certain professions will lead to the loss of work by some professional owners. On the other hand, universities adapt slowly based on the requirements of the new labor market or make limited changes to the courses offered by the labor market. For example, according to statistics, the development of a new undergraduate course takes more than 18 months, and the usual renewal period for courses is on average 5 years. Therefore, the opening of new directions in higher education institutions around the world and the training of the necessary personnel for the new field is carried out on average in 10 years, which means a lot of time from the point of view of business and industry. In order to prevent this process, universities should pay special attention to the development of cooperation with employers, their active involvement in the opening of new directions and the development of educational plans and programs of the existing field of education, work with them on joint projects in the formation of practical skills in students.
Foreign experience of cooperation of universities and employers. When studying the cooperation of foreign universities with employers, it was found that among the most common areas of their activity are the following:
practical training of students in real workplaces;
joint expansion of the scope of educational services in demand in the labor market;
co-development of requirements for the quality of training specialists;
development of educational and program documents taking into account the opinions of leading regional employers;
training by employers-practitioners for students of the university, including lecture courses, seminars, master classes, Business games and the like;
participation of employers in the final state attestation of graduates;
internship of teachers in real work places too;
the participation of employers in scientific and practical conferences, educational projects, Scientific Sessions and similar university activities;
project integration (joint scientific research, opening of base departments of the University at employers ‘ enterprises, creation of companies requiring joint research, etc.);
cooperation in the employment of graduates;
It was observed that the participation of employers in educational processes at the university, as well as cooperation in strengthening practical knowledge, foreign universities were organized in different ways. Including:
An Engineering Advisory Board () has been formed at McMaster University (McMaster University) in Canada, with industry-employer representatives involved. This board develops and updates training plans every half-year. The innovations and changes to be made in the directions of education are also carried out precisely by the Council. The activities of the Engineering Alumni Advisory Committee () have also been established through which the university has implemented a system of active work with its alumni. This committee has an alumni coaching program of the University and through it organizes master classes from graduates who are mature professionals in their field to students and encourages them to volunteer mentors by engaging students and masters in their companies. The committee is instrumental in bringing the cooperative education program to market, through which approximately 25% of university students are placed in various industries during their studies.
Examples of active industrial employment in curriculum development are Johnson and Wales University (USA). University training is primarily career-oriented, with curricula being developed with the participation of mature professionals working in a particular field. In the process of developing the curriculum, the University organizes a seminar. He is invited by the most mature professionals in his field (from 8 to 10), mainly through the recommendation of employers. The structured team determines their responsibilities and responsibilities, along with the general knowledge, skills and student behavior necessary in the development of educational programs. The developed program is sent to more than 100 similar specialists and workers for verification and is approved after the necessary conclusions are made. Once approved, the faculties will receive a program of their own and compare the curriculum of the courses being taught and adapt the training to the new program.
The French Institute of Petroleum School or IFP School () is a distinctive manifestation of employer-university cooperation. This institution, which provides for graduate and post-graduate education, curricula are developed by employers, with the education of all students funded by employers. The training programs are fully developed by the industry, with a focus on practice. In this, students work in more than 50 companies with which the Institute cooperates. In the educational process, more than 500 oil specialists are directly engaged in training. Since the discrepancy between theory and practice is rationally eliminated, the graduate employment rate is 99 percent.
While the Philadelphia-based Drexel University (Drexel university) developed the Cooperative Education Program. This program allows undergraduate students to consolidate the theoretical knowledge acquired before graduation with practical experience. Drexel University operates one of the largest cooperative education programs in the United States. More than 1,500 business, industry, government, and other institutions located in 27 states and 12 foreign countries in the United States collaborate with Drexel to provide students with the opportunity to gain practical experience in employment appropriate to their university education.
In this program, the practical learning process is perceived as an integral part of education and it is based on the activities of students in existing positions (sometimes paid) based on their interests, abilities and specialties. According to education in Drexel, students attend full classes throughout their first year. After that, at different periods they must study in an auditorium or work with university-approved employers. In order to be accessible to the University and employers, one academic year is divided into four periods of 3 months, at which periods students study or work are mutually agreed.
In order to fully implement these processes as well as assist students in finding employment, the Steinbright Career Development Centre () has been established at the university itself. The center connects students and employers, manages employer relationships, and develops employment opportunities.
Various centers also operate in order to promote cooperation between the employer and the universities, and this process is widely developed. Riipen (Riipen) is one such Center. Riipen is a platform that combines more than 150 universities in North America with real-world Company projects to facilitate practical learning opportunities by connecting students with industry partners (e.g., local companies, community organizations, government agencies, NGOs). The positive aspect of the activities of this center is that in IT, students acquire practical skills through their involvement in industrial projects that they can perform. In this case, the projects will be entered directly into the curriculum or will end with a distance internship.