Are we there yet? A Case Study of Industry-University Collaboration on Communicative Competence for Sustainable Employability and Work Readiness

The Industry-University Collaboration is a unique symbiosis and partnership of any graduate program. The importance of such partnership is not looked upon lightly as students are engaged for eight months with respective host companies. Being a continued shadow of the interns, the researcher was able to see a transformation of wide eyed interns upon entry to blossoming and excited semiprofessionals upon the completion of their internship. Were students competent to be employed and work-ready as result of the eight month attachment? Were the interns able to carry themselves as prospective employees if given the opportunity to begin work? What were the communicative competencies expected of the interns when assigned to real projects? Based on the theory of situated learning and legitimate peripheral participation, the Industry-University collaboration is aimed at equipping the students with out of classroom lifelong learning. Have students become more employable and work ready as a result of the said attachment? What are the communicative competencies attached from such collaboration? Interviews excerpts with managers, academic supervisors and students are captured in this case study relating to work readiness and employability of students from HEI.