Bridging the gap between college and industry

In a shared effort to improve cooperative training in Ethiopian TVET, five round table discussions were recently held at Bahir Dar, Dire Dawa, and Tegbareid Polytechnic Colleges. They were carried out in the framework of the STEP project: creating smoother career pathways for students. These five sessions brought together educators and industry partners to explore one essential question: how can we better prepare students for the realities of the workplace?

The approach was simple yet effective. In each location, participants worked in small groups to discuss the biggest challenges affecting the quality of cooperative training, proposed solutions, and reflected on who—college or company—should take responsibility. The discussions were lively, honest, and grounded in real-world experience.

What emerged was a clear picture of the growing disconnect between what students learn and what industries need. In Addis Ababa, companies pointed out that many students lack basic workplace behavior—like punctuality and dress code—and struggle with self-motivation and teamwork. In Dire Dawa, concerns were raised about students entering TVET with little intrinsic motivation, focusing only on short-term income rather than long-term skills. Their communication skills, digital readiness, and ability to handle technical language were often insufficient, and their exposure to the real world of work was limited.

Stakeholders highlighted also the importance of digital literacy, entrepreneurship, and practical business skills such as supply chain understanding and market analysis. Across all locations, it became evident that students need more than technical know-how—they need the soft skills, mindset, and exposure to thrive in a professional environment.

The sessions showed that there is strong willingness from both educators and employers to work together more closely. The key lies in better communication, clearer expectations, and co-creating learning pathways that truly bridge the gap between school and work.

These round tables are not the end, but a beginning. They’ve sparked a conversation that is essential for building stronger, more responsive TVET systems in Ethiopia—where students are not just trained, but become prepared.