External placements from the perspective of collaborating companies

Abstract

Introduction: The partnership between higher education and the labour market is a prerequisite for improving graduates’ employment opportunities. However, this partnership is not always as fluid as it should be, sometimes because universities do not understand what companies expect from the collaboration and forget that companies are not NGOs; other times because companies are not aware of the potential benefits and impacts they can derive from the partnership. This paper sheds light on the perception of this collaboration held by the entities collaborating with the university in placements, and uncovers their motivations and demands. Methodology: Based on the literature review of motivations, impacts and benefits associated with university–business partnerships, semi-structured interviews were conducted with a sample of entities collaborating in external practices with Jaume I University, following a cuota sampling design. Results: The main results obtained from the content analysis show that the main motivations driving entities to collaborate are the principles of corporate social responsibility, although underlying this motivation is the selection of potential future employees. The demands organisations made include improving the quality, quantity and forms of relationship between the partners, and the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of using university services. Discussion: In the field of Spanish academia, the collaboration between university and business generally seems to be discussed as a one-way relationship. Universities show a certain lack of interest in partnerships, and their concern appears to focus more on assigning students to placements rather than on their specific suitability. In addition, work placement practices are often designed by academics who fail to consider the real needs of the labour market.