Efficiently teaching engineering and technology students through effective college-industry partnerships

Establishing college-industry collaboration is vital for the success of undergraduate students in engineering and technology programs. Engagement with local industry partners is essential to teach these students applied and hands-on concepts such as lean manufacturing and facility planning. Instructors are required to build meaningful relationships with industry partners so that students can benefit from active learning. Through industry partnerships, students have an opportunity to learn in various ways such as by visiting industrial sites, conducting projects with local industries, and having guest speakers discuss the numerous aspects of their business. Such activities help students become more immersed in their field of study, gain hands-on experience, and address real-world challenges as they transition from college to productive careers within industry. Instructors have a very important role in successfully establishing college-industry partnerships, which can be a challenging and time-consuming task. Such relationships are more difficult to establish when instructors are new to a particular region. This paper focuses on the best practices required to establish industrial partnerships, the importance of leveraging support systems available at instructors' academic institutions, and how to establish relationships with local professional organizations and industry partners.