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Bdaily speaks to CIHE chief David Docherty

It’s Graduate Week on Bdaily, and we want to take a closer look at the relationship between SMEs and graduates. We spoke to David Docherty, Chief Executive of the Council For Industry and Higher Education, Chairman of the Digital Television Group, columnist, novelist, academic and businessman. Amongst his busy schedule, David spoke to Bdaily about CIHE plans to improve links between businesses and universities.

David explained how businesses, and SMEs in particular are being encouraged to connect with universities to create benefits for both parties, and graduates themselves.

“Innovation is really at the heart of what we are trying to do, both within universities and the value chain. If big businesses are increasingly seeing the value in graduates, so will small businesses, and universities in turn will prepare students for this environment. It is our aim to grow the economy and grow the talent base through universities, by ensuring graduates and postgraduates have the expertise and life skills relevant to business.”

The role of universities was a priority for David, and he told us about how educational institutions could provide graduates with the necessary skills to work in business.

“Universities have a key part to play and, historically, they have a network of businesses that surround them. This is a resource we need to tap into, and SMEs and startups need to build on ways to use this link to source graduates.

“Graduate skills also need to be developed by universities as a response to the changing environment. Development through theoretical based practice is essential for universities to prepare students to reach their potential in businesses. Universities are conscious of the need to prepare grads, and it is definitely on the agenda.”

The CIHE has plans to set up a “brokering service” between universities and businesses, and David told Bdaily how this might work.

“We hope the CIHE’s matchmaking service will dramatically open up links between graduates and businesses. This brokering system will encourage businesses to look at using university leavers, not just as a pair of hands, but as individuals who can bring fresh ideas and drive innovation.”

He gave advice on how SMEs can find highly skilled graduates who can be useful to businesses.

“Small businesses need to really know what they want, and what they need. My advice would be not to just use a graduate as another pair of hands to do the standard work experience things. Offer internship schemes, graduate summer schemes and programmes through universities. This can be used as an extended interview; instead of just seeing them for half an hour, see them for six weeks- and pay them!This is how to tap into graduates as a resource for innovation, and it is also an extended part of their education.”

If you’re interested in reading other articles from Bdaily’s Graduate Week, take a look at the following links: Clegg makes a visit to a Teesside graduate business;Bringing graduates into a small business; Don’t play job market odds, change the game;Graduate X: The truth behind the graduate scheme; Bdaily speaks to the Chief Executive of the Higher Education Careers Service Unit, Mike Hill andHaving a graduate on the board.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Miranda Dobson .