We all know the economy is still weak ( to put it mildly), and this means our students are in tough positions to find their first jobs. Where we stand in Florida, it seems as though the alligators are nipping at our economic feet. With a quarter of the economy here in Orlando driven by construction, you can buy a nice condo that sold for $160,000 in 2007 for $20k today!
So what can we do to help our OM students to be more competitive as they enter the job market? Since everyone graduating already has the same basic set of skills (eg., Excel, Powerpoints, etc.), how can OM add value? Here are 2 suggestions:
1.Project management is an interesting topic (Ch.3) that is certainly useful in so many jobs. We cover MS Project lightly towards the end of the chapter. But I am convinced that mastering MS Project can give a competitive edge. Last year, I provided all 75 of my students the chance to build their resumes by offering a 1-credit independent study course called “Using MS Project in Project Management”. All they had to do was find a project with at least 30 activities, and create a series of MS Project charts, along with a 1-page report. Our publisher’s reps at Pearson will provide you with as many free copies of the full-blown MS Project ( time limited) as you request. It includes an excellent Tutorial, which picks up where the text leaves off. Amazingly, 25 students signed up to build their transcripts/resumes. They produced some impressive reports and picked up a useful skill.
2. The 2nd hot button I like is to get a Six-Sigma Green Belt while in school. My colleague Jim Gilbert offers his TQM course every Fall semester. As an option, Jim arranges (at an extra lab fee of $900) for students to get certified as Green Belts. Over 30 students a year take this option and enter the workforce with a wonderful credential.