Business Cooperation - Improving The Working Life Relevance of Higher Education

Education programmes should provide students with the skills for working life. This is important not only for students, but also for companies. Skills refers, in addition to competence in a specific area, to general competencies, working life practices in common use and, for example, knowledge of software used in the business world. It is even more important to take into account the needs of working life when teaching adult students, who often study alongside work with the aim of progressing in their careers. In spring 2019, Kokkola University Consortium Chydenius conducted a survey targeting information and communication technology (ICT) companies in its local area. The results highlighted the attitude of the job seeker in the recruitment phase. The employers valued qualifications, but still emphasized the ability to work independently as well as social and teamwork skills as the most important things. This survey provides a good starting point for taking into account the needs of the business world when developing education. This paper reviews the results of the survey and discusses how education providers and students can take them into account in their own activities.