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Time is inexorable. It permeates everything and draws our world into the vortex of its movement. It seemed only yesterday that the freshmen had started their studies, and now they are in the final stage of their thesis defense and the door to the new world is opening.
How comfortable and predictable this world will be depends not only on the level of knowledge, but also on their ability to apply it. Other components such as character, intelligence and circumstances also play an important role in shaping the trajectory of their professional life.
For this reason, graduates would like to start their own business or join startups they feel connected to. Last year, startups linked to Stanford University raised $76.7 Billion in VC Investments† In addition, there is a new movement for companies to close the skills gap by training employees in-house.
Startups can take advantage of both situations by joining a strong university and launching alongside the college. There are many benefits to developing a relationship with an established university, but these five reasons relate to increased growth, innovation, long-term success, and overall profitability.
The talent shortage is something that all companies have to deal with. Every business needs more people who align with their values and are open to new experiences. When you recruit from a university, you’re looking at a pool of bright, ambitious, talented, open-minded young people who have already had their institution vetted. These employees often stay much longer and already have an excellent understanding of the company’s values and culture. This combination means a happier team eager to stick around for the long haul.
University students have an openness and willingness to share knowledge, which makes them valuable collaborators. Today’s student becomes tomorrow’s star employee who in turn returns to college to bring your brand’s values to a new generation. This knowledge transfer cycle is an excellent mechanism to develop mentoring skills in your team.
In my experience, all the best students who grew rapidly from junior to leadership positions were always the most eager to pass on their knowledge. They are the ones most passionate and motivated about organizing courses and corporate events in the university.
Companies that are looking for super talents and immediately prepare them for success are a good example of this. The degree of career progression and employee value are record-breaking.
Related: An Exciting Time to Be a Student australiabusinessblog.com
2. Education is an ideal environment for your brand
Associating your brand with education and advancement is always beneficial from a PR standpoint. Companies that show a willingness to teach and invest in future generations earn a lot of respect from outside observers.
Organizing masterclasses, individual lectures, workshops and other events at the university will always generate a lot of positive media attention, so it is a huge social impact investment. In addition, the time spent transferring knowledge and experience (an intangible that cannot be bought) is an invaluable investment.
In addition, it is very profitable. Cultivating student value fits in perfectly with the lean methodologies, since the value you get from the students costs next to nothing. The existing university structure is also an ideal testing ground for hypothesis testing or castdev with minimal investment from your company.
In today’s world we either work for a paycheck or we work to change the world. In my experience, most companies are now motivated by the latter reason. Money is no longer enough for most workers, especially the younger generations.
But the world is changing anyway, regardless of our willingness or participation. If we don’t change the world for the better, someone else will turn it in a direction that may not be very comfortable for us, for our present and our future. Most workers, especially the younger generation, almost never have enough money. Studying and participating in the company’s emerging businesses will increase employee appraisal and performance.
The most successful companies are able to help both the individual and the entire team feel connected to a higher purpose, such as educating and developing future generations and thus developing the company over the long term.
There are several effective ways to invest in education, such as:
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Scholarships for student projects
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Mentorship Opportunities
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Personal grants/sponsorship
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Courses that give top students access to paid internships
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Participation in academic competitions
It is also worth noting that solid universities attract other companies that can become potential partners or customers. Getting involved in university networks is useful for developing new collaborative relationships.
Related: Five Reasons to Give New Graduates a Chance at Your Company
4. It strengthens the internal company culture
Welcoming new team members trained through courses organized by the company means that the brand’s values and mission will already inspire these people. Since these young people are likely to be our future managers, team leaders and top analysts, it is ideal for them to already feel motivated and inspired by the company culture.
These students are the ambassadors of the brand. I call them the ‘skeleton’ of an organization, because they are the foundation of the company and what holds it together. When students can take business courses at the university or get involved in corporate projects and events, the startup can see how well someone fits into the corporate culture.
Practice-oriented learning methods (eg project-based learning, flipped classrooms) are an ideal testing ground to discover the full potential of a candidate from all sides. This is something that companies cannot find through interviews and questionnaires.
Related: 4 Ways to Test ‘Cultural Fit’ During the Hiring Process
5. Students bring a non-standard approach to fresh ideas
If you don’t have a lot of experience with a subject, you don’t have the restrictions, rules, and restrictions often imposed on people considered to be experts. For example, students often have the most open-minded, innovative ideas. As part of our Future Talents program, a student even came up with the idea of reverse recruitment, which is how the startup TalentService was born.
Some of the biggest names in tech all have a relatively young start in their career:
Other tech giants like Twitter, TaskRabbit, Microsoft, and Snapchat were all founded by innovative middle-aged people who wanted to change the world. Most importantly for businesses here, building a collaborative relationship with a strong university lays the foundation for generating powerful, new ideas from the younger generations.
One last tip: Remember to take into account the weaknesses of the student model. It is important to be objective about this formula so that your company is prepared for all the drawbacks that arise.
Burnout is a serious risk that must be taken into account. Students are more likely to burn out quickly because they have passion but not much practical experience. Supervising these students can also put a strain on your more experienced employees. Keep in mind that you are increasing their responsibilities and workload with mentorship duties.
Finally, not everyone is suited to mentorship. Remember that not all people have a good understanding of the proper frameworks, responsibilities and methodologies associated with professional work. Make sure to choose carefully.
Cultivating a student population that is curious, innovative and motivated to change the world is the best investment a startup can make. When companies can get in, transfer knowledge, discuss successes and failures, and boost ambitious students, the world will sit up and pay attention.
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