Bridging Academia and Industry: A Strategic Approach to Training in the Classroom

Integrating guest speakers into higher education classrooms poses challenges in aligning their presentations with students’ and faculty’s academic goals and expectations. Drawing on experiential learning theory, this study used feedback from a semester of speakers to propose a framework for effectively coaching both speakers and students to enhance learning outcomes. The framework enhances learning by guiding speakers to focus on training students through compelling presentations that align with course objectives while also promoting interactive student engagement to strengthen comprehension and skills. Findings after implementing the framework from this study highlight the critical role of strategic preparation in maximizing the effectiveness of classroom training sessions. This framework strengthens career readiness by cultivating professionalism, communication skills, and essential workplace competencies.