Why Don’t More Colleges Run Co-Op Programs?

Co-op programs are trending these days, with many colleges looking to offer students on-the-job experiences while taking classes. Jeff and Michael talk with Robert McMahan, president of Kettering University, which has a long-running co-op program for all students. He argues that more colleges could incorporate and scale the approach. But there are obstacles, both cultural and logistical. This episode is made with support from Ascendium Education Group.

Chapters

0:00 - Intro

1:44 - An Unusual History of a Co-op Model

3:28 - Kettering Presidents’ Path to University Leadership

6:17 - Why Colleges Should Think of Employers as Their Customers

11:23 - Why Colleges Can’t Learn Everything They Need On Campuses

17:17 - How Kettering University’s Co-op Model Differs Than Others

20:44 - Why Isn’t Kettering More Popular?

24:44 - What Is Keeping More Universities From Doing Co-op Programs?

29:30 - Sponsor Break

31:05 - How More Colleges Can Move to a Co-op Model

35:36 - Companies Don’t Have Enough Internships to Meet Demand

39:08 - Could There Be ‘31 Flavors’ of Experiential Learning?

41:50 - Will We See a Return of the Corporate University?

45:52 - Lightning Round With Robert McMahan

Links

“Colleges Teach Learning, but They’re Not Learning How to Survive,” by Robert McMahan in Fortune.

“Former Governor Dishes on Connecting Work and College,” past Future U episode.

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