The document summarizes the process of prototyping solutions for employers to recruit graduates. It discusses empathizing with employers' need to hire flexible graduates. 50 solutions were brainstormed and two were prototyped: 1) a sponsorship/trainee program where employers pay tuition and receive a graduate required to work for them for 10 years, providing career security and job training, and 2) encouraging common research projects between universities and businesses to generate interested graduates and collaboration opportunities. The prototypes were tested and details were provided on how each could benefit both graduates and employers.

1. Empathizing with employers
– how to recruit graduates
Prototyping two solutions
Carsten Weerth, Bremen/Germany
Stanford University – Design Thinking Action Lab

2. Empathizing with an Employer
The task was to look at the transition from a
student to graduate which is entering the
workforce.
I chose to empathize with an employer and
created the following statement:
Employers need a way to recruit flexible,
well educated graduates because the job is
difficult and [it] needs adaptable and
flexible workforce.
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3. Ideate and creating 50 solution
During the next phase I created 50 possible
solutions in a brain storm process.
This resulted in three favorable solutions:
• 40.
•
•
Create combined sponsorship/trainee programmes in which you pay tuition and receive a
graduate
41. Create a lifelong learning environment which
inspires graduates (and employees)
46. Encourage common research projects between colleges/universities and your business

4. Prototyping and Testing I
The final phase is about prototyping and
testing.
The fist step is to create two prototypes, the
second is to test them and get feedback.
Two solutions were choosen:
• 40.
•
Create combined sponsorship/trainee programmes in which you pay tuition and receive a
graduate, and
46. Encourage common research projects between colleges/universities and your business

5. Prototyping and Testing II
• 40.
•
•
•
Create combined sponsorship/trainee
programmes in which you pay tuition and
receive a graduate
Highly qualified graduates are in demand for
your business
They are difficult to recruit
Considering the high tuition fees in the US for
high quality education you decide to seek your
future employees before they enter college /
university

6. Prototyping and Testing III
• Details:
• A high class education is very expensive. So you
•
•
should pay tuition for a student which is by
contract required to work for your business for
the following 10 years. No tuition and debts for
the student and you receive a well educated and
highly motivated graduate...
The graduate will have the security of a career
The business is able to train the student on the
job in an approach in which he/she can have
early internships and phases in the business

7. Prototyping and Testing IV
• 46.
•
•
Encourage common research projects
between colleges / universities and your
business
This is a unique way to create collaborations between the universities and your labs or businesses. It will create many spin-offs and generate many top graduates which will want to join
your (research related) business...
The colleges/universities will be glad to get in
touch for research and applications of their
research

8. Prototyping and Testing V
• Details:
• Students might get interested in your business
• Internships can be offered
• Funding for research and publications could be
•
•
made
Funding for internships or the tuition fees of
desired students could be arranged
Spin-off from the research might be beneficial to
your labs and business and create new opportunities

9. Acknowledgements...
This presentation was made for ‘Prototype
and Test‘ - the seventh assignment of Leticia
Britos Cavagnaro‘s MOOC Design Thinking
Action Lab, Stanford University.
This assignment builds on the fifth assignment ‘Empathize and Define‘ and the sixth
assignment ‘Ideate‘.