4 Reasons Why You Should Care If Your Professor Is an Industry Professional

It might not be something you've considered, or even noticed — but many universities around the world are starting to recognise the benefits of bringing industry professionals into academia to teach students.

Bridging the gap between "traditional" teaching methods and the application of industry knowledge in the classroom doesn't only improve the curriculum; it also helps students understand the link between theory and practice, and prepares them for future study and work.

We spoke with industry experts Jorge Monsivais, Miguel Gomez Gonzalez and José Sergio Ávila Flores (all of whom teach at Universidad Tecmilenio) — read on to find out more.

They bring real experience into the classroom

Academic professors and industry professionals both have deep understanding and knowledge of the principles and theories in their respective fields, but the unique collaboration between industry and academia blends the best of both worlds — and is highly valued by students. Professor Miguel Gomez Gonzalez is a computer science engineer with 12 years of IT industry experience, holding a degree from the University of Guadalajara and a master's in IT management from ITESM.

He began working at IBM in 2007, focusing on HPC, cloud and Linux technologies, before joining Universidad Tecmilenio this year as a professional and master's-level instructor in computing, networks, IT systems and security.

We asked him about his experience working as an industry expert at the university.

"When you stand in front of eager young students, it's easy to see how interested they are in understanding how companies work and how problems are solved."

Industry professionals bring a unique value to the classroom and offer fresh insights that are hard to come by elsewhere.

Professor Gonzalez explains: "Beyond the subjects I teach, the experiences I've had also allow me to adjust the course content and make it more personal, creating more 'real-world' scenarios."

Professor Flores adds: "Having teachers with active work experience is wonderful, because it helps students understand the real challenges they'll face in their careers."

After 20 years in manufacturing, Flores now serves as a professor at Universidad Tecmilenio, training the engineers of the future.

You'll truly get to know the industry itself

Industry professionals tend to have a more complete picture of the inner workings of the professional world — including markets, systems and processes. So having experienced, accomplished experts teach in an academic setting helps transform students into capable, up-to-date graduates.

Professor Jorge Monsivais teaches business administration at Universidad Tecmilenio. He told us: "I'm delighted to share with my students the experience I gained working for different companies and industries — electronics, steel, automotive, aerospace and more."

Gonzalez sees the benefit both for himself and his students. He says: "I started teaching with the belief that sharing my knowledge and experience is an essential part of my professional growth, and an indispensable way to give back to society and the country."

He adds: "Another important moment is when we can take our students to tour companies."

"Seeing what you've talked about in class — those moments mark a student's life, because they're inspired, and because they know that soon they too will be part of developing and implementing the new technologies they've been learning about over the past four or five years."

It's all about networking

Your university professors and teachers are the people who often know you better in an academic environment than anyone else. They understand your learning style and know you as both a student and a person.

They may have many connections in industry, and depending on your ambitions and future plans, they can even put you in touch with the right people and help you get your career off the ground.

Which leads us to the next reason…

They can help boost your career prospects

As Professor Monsivais explains, gaining a true understanding of an industry before you graduate can be a real deal-maker for some employers: "Combining experience with theory means the lectures and academic programmes offered to students are genuinely useful and equip them with the skills and solid knowledge they need to keep growing and become more attractive to companies."