The way I look at it, college is a time in our lives to try new things and learn as much as we can. College experiences outside of the classroom are where we learn communications skills, strong work ethic, and teamwork skills. Business leaders are looking for the college graduates that have spent their 4+ years already mastering these skills. Fact-based knowledge is important and so are interpersonal skills that college graduates are gaining are what business leaders are seeking. So how do colleges and universities aid in the development of their students? How do they capture thousands of students and produce well-spoken, creative, and responsible leaders ready for the workforce?

These are the questions that I was hoping to get answered during a roundtable discussion that I attended last week. The Students Speak Series, co-hosted by the National Campus Leadership Council, Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce, and the Workforce Innovation Network for Southeast Michigan brought together 20 student leaders from different campuses and business leaders from various industries right here in Detroit. We were able to talk about workforce development and the importance of internships, on-the-job training and experiences outside of the classroom. These opportunities help develop communication skills and leadership that the businesses at the roundtable said they are yearning for.