Development Vectors of Effective Cooperation between Education Field Workers and Employers in the Training System of Library Specialists

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to determine the vectors of building an effective interaction with employers in the system of higher library and information education. The methodology. Socio-communicative and system-structural approaches were applied, which made it possible to determine the directions and functions of communication links in the system of gradual library and information education, to prove the importance of strengthening the communication interaction in the “higher education institution — employer”, “student of higher education — employer”, “graduate of a higher education institution — employer” subsystems. Based on the application of sociological research methods (questionnaires and surveys, monitoring of the employment of graduates), the necessity of establishing comprehensive relations in the “student of higher library education program — employer-director of the library” system has been proved in order to form the general and professional competencies in applicants that are in demand at the labor market. The results. Based on the analysis of the modern pedagogical idea and the own years-long teaching experience, the issue of building an effective cooperation between higher education institutions and employers was considered for the first time. Emphasis is placed on the translation of “student-teacher” academic communication into future professional relations of “graduate — employer”. A systematic approach to the organization of communication interaction between the graduate departments of KSAC in the specialty 029 “Information, library and archival affairs” and employers is highlighted, which involves various formats, methods, ways and technologies of communication interaction of all stakeholders in the quality training of library personnel (students of higher library education, scientific — pedagogical staff, graduates, heads of library institutions), aimed at the requirements of the modern labor market. Based on the results of a survey within the directors of libraries of Kharkiv and Kharkiv region, the qualities of graduates of KSAC prioritized by employers were determined, and their rating was the following: professional knowledge (89%), mastery of modern ICT (87%), reader orientation (56%), sociability (55%), creativity (46%), responsibility and reliability (35%), leadership (34%), organizational skills (32%), speech culture (26%), appearance (21%). The effectiveness of the implementation of employment monitoring, involvement of employers into teaching, review of educational programs and qualification works of students, participation in final assessment, has been proven. The scientific topicality. The sociological study “A graduate in the eyes of an employer” carried out by the Department of Digital Communications and Information Research of KSAC revealed two key problems that affect the effectiveness of communication interaction in the “graduate — employer” system: 1) graduates easily use digital technologies — digital skills, but have weaker communication technologies (communication skills), standards of business communication, which inhibits their professional adaptation; 2) the culture of academic communication “student — teacher” is translated into professional interaction “graduate — employer”, which forms behavioral models of future librarians already at the student desk. This requires the strengthening of systematic cooperation between higher education institutions and leading employees of information structures, libraries, archives, museums and other document and communication institutions of society. The ways of improving of the communication patterns of students, teachers and employers, strengthening of their interaction, partnership and responsibility have been determined. It was revealed that all stakeholders involved into the training and refresher course of the new generation of library and information personnel look toward to close communication in order to improve the professional and personal qualities of graduates, their competitiveness at the modern labor market, and quick adaptation to the requirements of the library industry and to a specific workplace. The practical significance. The results of the study can be used by Ukrainian institutions of higher education in the process of improving educational programs for training specialists in the specialty 029 Information, library and archival affairs, as well as to increase the effectiveness of cooperation with employers in all possible areas of communication interaction in the system of training of library specialists of all educational degrees, which will contribute to increasing their competitiveness at the global information market.