POMS COE webinar: Gaps in university graduates’ readiness for work in operational excellence

Are university graduates ready to work in operational excellence? A prestudy* suggests the answer is "no" and identifies four gaps in university preparation:
1. Insufficient practical problem-solving and root-cause analysis skills
2. Lack of experience in thinking about organizational problems systematically (i.e., systems thinking)
3. Limited ability to communicate with others in the organization
4. Limited capabilities in using social skills needed to be successful in working in teams

In short, managers and faculty alike believe that new graduates arrive at the workplace with insufficient capabilities in problem-solving, systems thinking, communication, and social interaction. Consequently, employers face rework in preparing their newest employees for basic organizational skills. In turn, the graduates are often frustrated because they cannot contribute adequately from the start.

Moderated by Prof. Eric O. Olsen (CalPoly and East Coat Lean) and Prof. Jurriaan de Jong (Ohio State University), the following four stellar panelists will discuss this problem and potential solutions:
1) Prof. Charles Fine, MIT
2) Prof. Sanjay Ahire, University of South Carolina
3) Whitney Mantonya, Ohio State University

The Draft Gaps Statement by Dr. Peter Ward as part of the Lean for the 21st Century - Academic Working Group.