This is an uncertain time for college graduates. Nearly half said they felt unprepared for entry-level jobs in their field.
Many employers agree. One in six hiring managers are hesitant to hire recent graduates due to a lack of workplace skills such as teamwork and communication. Yet nine out of 10 educators say their graduates are ready to enter the workforce.
Employers cannot afford to wait for this gap to close on its own. As the retirement population accelerates and artificial intelligence automates some entry-level jobs, they must lead the way — by working directly with colleges and universities to provide students with real-world experience before they graduate.
The pandemic has widened the disconnect between employers and young workers. Years of distance learning have deprived students of formative experiences like lab work and campus leadership. Many graduates now have a solid academic foundation but little practice following unspoken professional norms.
On top of that, many of the entry-level positions that once taught young professionals the basics—data analysis, coding, and report writing among them—are disappearing as companies turn to artificial intelligence. This could improve productivity today. But this prevents companies from developing the next generation of talent to lead their future.
Universities and employers are also growing apart. Curriculum struggles to keep pace with rapidly evolving fields like artificial intelligence or cybersecurity. Many teachers still measure readiness for the workforce by their mastery of course material. In contrast, employers may value teamwork and the ability to solve problems under pressure more than the ability to quickly recall facts—especially given the rise of artificial intelligence.
At the same time, as hybrid working becomes the norm in many companies, new hires may have fewer opportunities to receive informal learning and mentoring that can accelerate their capabilities and career development.
The result? Graduates enter an economy that values skills they have no opportunity to practice, while employers face talent shortages they cannot fill.
One of the most effective ways to close this gap is closer collaboration between universities and industry.
When students work directly with industry mentors—in the lab, on the factory floor, or at a startup—they learn teamwork and communication skills that few professors can teach, no matter how collaborative or team-oriented the course is. Engineers solving real production problems can learn more about “real world” work in a week than in a semester of lectures.
For their part, employers can identify and invest in talent early, developing a pipeline of graduates who already understand what is expected in the workplace. These partnerships ensure a steady flow of ready professionals in high-demand fields such as engineering and healthcare technology, where demand for talent far exceeds supply.
Universities and employers are demonstrating the effectiveness of this model.
Purdue University and Eli Lilly and Company is training biomanufacturing talent through a $250 million partnership in artificial intelligence and robotics. Google’s artificial intelligence lab at Carnegie Mellon University gives students real-world experience before they graduate. Siemens’ new Center of Excellence at Georgia Tech immerses engineering students in digital twins and simulation projects.
At Abbott, we are investing in similar partnerships—connecting classrooms to cutting-edge medical technologies and helping launch careers in science and engineering. Through the HBCU Cybersecurity Industry Partnership Program, we join Microsoft and (hotlink) Raytheon Technologies (/hotlink) strengthening cybersecurity courses at historically Black colleges and universities’ engineering schools.
Initiatives such as these can restore what technology has eroded. By bridging the gap between the classroom and the workplace, they provide students with opportunities to develop both hard and soft skills. Engineering students who design prototypes for companies gain not only technical proficiency, but also judgment and teamwork skills that textbooks cannot teach. At the same time, companies can observe how students solve problems and collaborate—providing insights for hiring and training.
Technology is reshaping every industry. But no algorithm can replace good judgment, teamwork, or the ability to communicate clearly. These skills are the sole product of human experience. If companies want ready talent tomorrow, they need to help develop talent today.
The views expressed in Fortune opinion pieces are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views and beliefs of: wealth.
This story was originally published on wealth network