Create Your Own Future Work Force

By Won Kim

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September 13, 2006

With global power nations led by India and China cornering the market in math and science graduates, corporations must take a more visible role in molding the future work forces. As explored in the July/August issue of DiversityInc, some progressive companies, instead of waiting for the education system to catch up with the demands of a growing global marketplace, are taking action.

An example is IBM, which was featured in yesterday's Wall Street Journal (WSJ) for its desire "to increase their presence and influence on campus." Most companies know that college is a fertile ground for recruitment, but what good is recruiting if students are unprepared for the demands that await them? Hoping to ease that transition, IBM has teamed up with colleges and universities to create courses and programs (subscription required) that are tailor-made for its industry. Proof of how much IBM believes in this process is its annual $100-million investment to university initiatives.

In addition, grants and contributions are given to faculty members for curriculum development, research and other projects. Many corporations include education funding as part of philanthropic initiatives, but as companies, such as IBM, have realized, these initiatives benefit the companies as well--they become the workplace of choice to many of the graduating students, especially students of color.

Other companies, including Hewlett-Packard (HP), No. 31 on The 2006 DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity list, Marriott International (No. 22) and Ford Motor Co. (No. 37), have acknowledged the importance of investing into future workers and have begun investing at all levels of education (K--12 to graduate school). By providing such assistance as scholarship sponsorships to donating funding to select programs to offering specific curriculums related to its industry, these companies are laying the groundwork for a successful work force.

Some critics believe this early exposure of students to corporations is "a breach of academic integrity," notes the WSJ. However, IBM contends that more important than whether a student chooses to work for IBM is that these students become healthy contributors to the economy. With federal and state limitations in education funds and a growing need for good talent, a company's assistance may help bridge the growing gap between global competitiveness and prepared work forces.

Involved through the whole journey are corporations such as Merrill Lynch (No. 44 on the Top 50), Goldman Sachs and Ernst and Young (No. 24), who not only give financially but also lead workshops and discussions.

As Cathy Lipe, strategy development manager for corporate philanthropy at HP, told DiversityInc, "When you look at where you can invest, education is an important lever … Today's elementary-school students are tomorrow's customers. They're future employees."

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