Reflections on Building University/Industry Partnerships: An Experiential Learning Approach Michele Summers, Purdue College of Technology at Lafayette Sue Ann Ford, Wabash National Corporation
Dec 15, 2015
Reflections on Building University/Industry Partnerships:
An Experiential Learning Approach
Michele Summers, Purdue College of Technology at Lafayette
Sue Ann Ford, Wabash National Corporation
Reflections on building university/industry partnerships: An experiential learning approach What?
Why?
How?
Productivity Enhancement Success Yields Pride and Sense of Ownership Succession Planning Recruiting Tool Retention Tool
Why Employers Provide Education Programs:The Research
Investment
2012 Reinstituted Tuition Reimbursement Updated Policy: $4,200/year - $30,000/lifetime Education Fair >$100,000 Tuition
WIIFWABASH?
Started 2005 to fill supervisory bench Standard of “What Good Looks Like” to
home-grown leadership Internationally-known Locally revered Network with other student professionals
Strategy for ROI
Workplace-related Specific if possible Appeal to instructor Instructor selection criteria includes work
experience Teach multiple times when possible = business
familiarity Presentation to management
Letter to Instructor Dear Instructor, Welcome to the Learning Center! We are excited that you are here to help us further our training/educational
endeavors. We want to make sure that you have all you need to make your experience here pleasant and successful.
As an instructor of our associates, you have the unique ability to tie their education to their work, and we would ask that you make every effort to do so. As activities and projects are introduced, please give strong consideration to making those experiential opportunities as true to their work as possible. We will be happy to assist!
Please call upon me (765-771-5806) or Sarah Canarsky, Learning Center Administrator (765-771-5406), should you
have any questions. Again, welcome and thank you. Sue Ann Ford Manager, Organizational Development
WIIFSTUDENTS?
Increased student learning and retention Andragogy (Knowles, 1980) assumes the following
about the design of learning: Adults have the need to know why they are learning
something Adults learn through doing Adults are problem-solvers Adults learn best when the subject is of immediate use
WIIFWABASH?
Immediate application: Solve problems Create, improve processes Ownership in results
Removing waste = better work environment, more profit!
Gaining Knowledge: Learner Requirements
Willing to be actively involved in the experience
Able to reflect on the experience Possess and use analytical skills to
conceptualize the experience Possess decision making and problem solving
skills in order to use the new ideas
Reverse-engineered characteristics
Who is it for? Describe the audience. How many participants per session? How long should it last? What experience/dynamic should it mirror? What group dynamics or constraints should be represented in
the experience? What skills/knowledge should it engage? What factors should make the task easier/more difficult? How should it feel? What other characteristics can you describe?
whole-system.com
Panelists Bud Smart
24 yrs at Subaru of Indiana Automotive Inc. Production Manager, Camry Trim and Final Assembly; 16 yrs in
management Started Purdue OLS 2008 Senior - graduate May 2014
Joe Hancock 28 year employee of Wabash National Corporation Plant Manager of the Dry Van business unit of the Commercial
Trailer Group Spent 7 years in the Purdue OLS program:
OLS Certificate 2007 Associate Degree in OLS 2009 Bachelor degree in OLS May 2012
Training Methods Course
Select work-related job Identify tasks, skills Understand:
Adult Learning Principles Varying learning styles Appropriate, effective formats
Develop training manual
Coaching & Developing Coaching & Developing EmployeesEmployees
No longer are technical skills enough to sustain you in your role. You now have employees with those skills. Therefore, it is time to learn how to coach & develop employees so you can motivate them to complete the necessary work. The skills that made you a great team player won’t necessarily make you a great supervisor. It’s not enough to keep yourself motivated — you have to be a coach & a cheerleader, & you have to deal with people who have bad days, interpersonal conflicts, & skill deficiencies.
Course ContentCourse Content
• Coaching & Developing people
• Communication• How to communicate with
people• How to read peoples
expressions