Once you have built a happy employee base, it is time to cherry-pick the high achievers, and provide a solid framework to train and develop them, so they become leaders. Companies that create an environment of happy employees become a leadership incubator. They have the ability to spot raw talent and have the tools and patience to develop them because they understand only too well that the right talent could have significant impact on their bottom line. Their mantra becomes “Over-hire, you over-achieve. Under-hire, you under-achieve.”

However, leadership incubators cannot work in isolation. It is vital for these incubators to form strategic alliances with academic institutions as well as with raw talent. Collectively they push the boundaries for innovation, in an ever-changing global landscape.”

Companies need to create an environment where employees will not only survive, but thrive. They must eat, breathe and sleep a strong employer brand so they become the employer of choice.”

So how does the raw talent feel? Ironic but some established stats reveal that:

61% of employees say the realities of their new job differ from expectations set during the interview process. (Glassdoor, 2013). Often what’s on the menu is not always reflected on the plate. This is not a one-sided arrangement. It’s not just up to companies to lay the foundation for future success but prospective employees need to participate as well.

39% of employers believe new grads are ill equipped to join the workforce and 25% believe they are not prepared for the complexity of entry-level roles. (Busteed, 2019)

This is where Academic Institutions become a valued partner. They are part of the bridge to link companies and raw talent. They have the capabilities and know-how to provide a platform where real life experiences can shape thinking and most importantly, expectations. The irrevocable impact that schools have on students’ careers is directly proportional to the output of talent that the organizations receive. It is at schools that students receive a broader palette of learning and a bigger brush to be creative.

Innovative, experiential programs like Canada’s Next Top Ad Executive organized by DeGroote’s School of Business and Live Client Learning Marketing at York University’s School of Administrative Studies go beyond the confines of the classroom and help place students closer to the boardroom. Experiential learning replicates the real-world environment, immersing students in an active and shared learning environment through role playing, guided discussions, and simulated situations. Focused on preparing students to enter the fast-paced, real world of marketing, being able to tackle marketing challenges, interacting with senior marketing leaders and demonstrating their leadership skills are opportunities that students rarely get to have before graduating. The raw talent becomes not-so-raw after all!! They get a taste of what working for a company is like – fiercely competitive, a race to win awards, accolades and, potentially, career growth.

Combining exploration of fresh thinking, executing and reflecting upon key lessons learned, are the tenets of experiential learning that challenges students to get out of their comfort zone…. perfect fodder for innovation! Prof. Mandeep Malik of DeGroote’s Business School, an innovator in the world of academia and the visionary of Canada’s Next Top Ad Exec, speaks to the value of such programs:

“With traditional classrooms being spaces that are constrained by a templated role of student and instructor, something needed to change. I observed student motivation being very different in spaces not designed for instruction…. so I borrowed from the concept of playgrounds. What we have created now are self-directed spaces where students learn by doing and in partnership with industry. These spaces allow for application of knowledge, opportunities for collaboration and feedback from practitioners that gives students both growth and the confidence in their abilities.”

Prof. Malik elaborates on the programs as being a training ground where students receive leadership training by doing. “The experiential programs I run have been designed to be managed for students by students in keeping with principles of self-directed learning. Students are put into leadership roles and tasked with building collaboration with industry, with peers and with other academic institutions. They propose budgets, manage resources, structure teams, gain coaching, overcome obstacles and learn to deliver outcomes for multiple stakeholders. These are unparalleled structured leadership experiences curated through faculty mentorship outside of curriculum limitations. These are earned leadership experiences and students sign up for these based on personal motivations and aspirations. This is the new un-classroom.”

The innovative concept of the un-classroom is in itself a talent pool of budding leaders for companies to draw from…. provided they continue to do their part in engaging these young leaders and imparting training.

Other programs like the Live-Client Learning at YorkU, in a unique setting, tests students on their marketing and leadership skills as well as cultural fit, because it is important that experiential programs drive both the tangible and intangible elements of being in a workforce. Combining classroom and real-world experience, applying marketing theories to solve real business problems posed by companies from diverse sectors, these select students gain confidence to participate in national and global marketing competitions, presenting innovative go-to-market solutions to diverse audience groups, demonstrating initiative, leadership, social responsibility, integrity, and accountability. They extend their learning and enhance their understanding of “what clients want” from an employability standpoint.