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Ask any technology company and they will tell you how there is a sure shortage of highly skilled workers. Surprisingly some communities seem to have found an answer to this issue. Specialized programs are being designed in universities in partnership with companies and students are given enough training and experience in skills required to work at the companies.

In order to help students train in career specific skills, at least a dozen new programs were announced by a consortium of university presidents and CEOs called Business-Higher Education Forum. This move will be initiated throughout our nation.

A materials science program will be introduced at Cleveland based Case Western Reserve University in partnership with Sherwin Williams. A new cyber security program at the University of Maryland-College Park will be funded by Northrop Grumman.

According to experts, the best place for enterprise to contribute and help create the curriculum is colleges. This is the only way to solve the science, technology, math and engineering skill shortage.

Introductory engineering classes have nothing much to do with the real world and this has been frustrating students. Companies are also not happy with spending money and time providing training to graduates who pass out without gaining any real world skills.

It makes sense to prepare students for what they are going to do in real workforce. According to studies, designing engaging classes is the only way to retain STEM students and prevent them from switching majors after their freshman year.

As compared to earlier, there is not much interest in science, technology, math and engineering degrees among American students. Experts are shocked by the fact that even students who are interested in these subjects are being thrown out by colleges.

At least fifty per cent of students who start studying STEM degrees change majors says studies. The reasons for this trend are many including lack of involvement from faculty, curve grading and weed out classes.

According to University of Maryland-Baltimore County president Freeman Hrabowski, students are now increasingly switching over to what they are interested in. he says that those who get a D in one area and A in another obviously they are going to be interested in another area.

In order to include real world scenarios and feature more group work, STEM course was completely redesigned in his university. This has shown positive results with at least fifty per cent of students getting B or better grades with the same level of course standard. Hrabowski says that it is time universities got more innovative and thought of ways to do business.

This recent announcement from the Business-Higher Education Forum is an example of how companies are participating more in the field of education. Visit any career fair now and you will find companies showing up especially during sophomore and freshman years. These as we know are years that can make or break for students.

It is time colleges engaged students better, attract and retain them. This is the only solution to our dwindling skilled labor.