Universities are committed to preparing professionals with the knowledge and competencies to meet the workforce needs and address the complex challenges that our society faces. Engineers must provide innovative solutions to improve the world sustainably, creating a better place for the next generations. Engineering graduates at our university are usually highly employable locally and globally. However, variations in employability levels exist among the different engineering programs. This study presents a case study of the Biotechnology Engineering program in a Mexican university and the various efforts implemented to foster the graduates' employability, where the university-industry partnerships played a significant role. The study describes the universityindustry partnerships and elements of our educational model, such as challenges where students and faculty are immersed with industry as academic partners in a challenge-based learning environment, and industrial placements as formative experiences. The employability of biotechnology engineering graduates of the last three semesters was analyzed to observe the effects of these efforts. Students, faculty, and industry addressed real-world challenges faced by the companies, providing students with formative and hands-on experiences. These opportunities enabled students to apply the knowledge and skills acquired in their academic program to practical industry contexts. These experiences helped students better understand the professional landscape and their career interests while becoming familiar with potential employers seeking new talent. Industry, in turn, benefited from fresh perspectives and innovative proposals generated by students, gaining insight into their capabilities and identifying potential talent. As a result, employability indicators for the Biotechnology Engineering program showed a relevant improvement. Challenge-based learning bridges academic training and industry needs. University-industry partnerships proved mutually beneficial, helping students develop competency and workforce readiness while providing companies with fresh ideas and access to emerging talent.
