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Jane Swift is a former governor of Massachusetts and president of Education at Work, a nonprofit that partners with companies and higher education institutions to provide job opportunities for college students.
Earlier this year, the Biden administration Urged It called on colleges and universities to support K-12 schools across the country. Specifically, it asked higher education institutions to use at least 15% of their annual allocation of roughly $1.2 billion in federal work-study program funds to hire more college students as tutors, mentors and student success coaches in public schools.
The White House included a call to action on accelerating K-12 academic achievement following pandemic-era school closures on its agenda, but when it comes to higher education, the announcement should add urgency to rethinking the relationship between education and jobs.
Federal work-study programs provide low- and moderate-income college students with part-time work paid by their universities to supplement the costs of their education. Using this funding more effectively to improve college students' early career prospects is essential to providing them with a quality work-based learning experience.
For college students considering careers in education, public policy, social work, or human services, working in a U.S. public school not only benefits the K-12 students they educate, but it also provides the experience they need: the definition of a quality learning and earning program.
Yet most undergraduates don’t have access to high-quality, career-accelerating opportunities to combine work and study while in college. still, Nearly two-thirds The percentage of undergraduate students who work while enrolled. A quarter of students from low-income families Full-time job Long working hours are a concern Correlation They receive lower grades, earn fewer credits, and are more likely to drop out.
It may seem counterintuitive, but working while in college simply to earn a living often does little to prepare students for the job opportunities envisioned by policymakers and higher education leaders.
Why? Many of today's learners have jobs that are unrelated to their college majors or future careers. It's time for higher education institutions to rethink how they think about work-based learning and how they should spend federal funding.
Consider which students are working and why: Students from wealthy backgrounds may choose paid or unpaid opportunities during college to gain valuable skills, knowledge and connections.
But economically disadvantaged students often have to work to pay rent, groceries, and college tuition. They tend to work long hours in jobs with little schedule flexibility, limiting their ability to focus on their education and future careers.
Researching Strada Research shows that first-time college students tend to work longer hours than their peers and are less likely to secure career-advancing workplace learning opportunities, like internships.
However, there is a gap between expectations and reality. 70% of first-year students Workplace learning experiences Opportunities for internships, co-ops, field experiences, teaching placements, clinical placements, and more are available during your time at college. However, by the time they reach their final year, less than half of students – just 48% – say they have had such experiences.
Working students (who are disproportionately black, Latino, and female) aren't just denied access to the job market: many are unable to graduate at all. just twenty two% The percentage of working students from low-income families who complete a bachelor's degree within six years of enrolling in college.
Ironically, higher education has long had a mechanism to help more students get job training: the Federal Job Training Program.
In 2016, researchers at Columbia University's Teachers College found that Found Students who participated in the Federal Work Scholarship Program were more likely to earn a bachelor's degree and be employed after graduation.
At the same time, these jobs do little to advance students’ career goals. 90% of Federal Work Scholarships Supporting on-campus jobs: roles often located within university administrative offices that offer little in the way of career relevance or growth.
In recent years, policymakers have attempted to expand the scope of federal work-study programs.
In 2023, Sens. John Kennedy, Republican of Louisiana, and Chris Murphy, Democrat of Connecticut, reintroduced a bipartisan bill that would allow for federal work-study programs. To cover student housing costs People who want to become teachers or school leaders.
In March, two Democratic Reps. invoice Modernize programs, including increasing access to work-based learning opportunities that are closer to students’ career goals.
Forward-thinking educational institutions are also rethinking what these on-campus jobs might look like.
Arizona State University 11,000 students This is done annually through the Federal Work Study Program and its Hourly Employment Program. At Arizona State University, we embed skills development into work experiences so many learners land jobs closely related to their field of study. This approach allows students to earn a paycheck, gain important career readiness skills, and work for flexible employers who recognize the importance of education and work.
In 2023, the Virginia State Council on Higher Education Awarded Grants It asked eight universities to align on-campus work-study jobs with course learning objectives and function like internships.
The nonprofit I work for, Education At Work, helps college students find customer support and back-office support jobs at Fortune 500 companies. Students hired through our organization get paid and receive financial assistance for their studies while building career skills.
Advances in technology have allowed students to gain career experience in the classroom or at home. Distance internships and virtual project-based learning platforms have Institutions and companies Virtual reality and other immersive learning technologies are being used to overcome challenges related to time and location. College and high school student It's a safe and easy way to explore new careers and gain in-demand tech skills.
The approach to vocational education in higher education has long been broken. It has created a two-tiered system in which some students work to gain experience and skills that lead to career success, while others work just to earn a living. Closing this gap requires a rethinking of work and learning that will transform college jobs from a basic necessity into a driver of economic mobility.