E@W’s Women in STEM: The 2022 CAEL Conference in Chicago
E@W’s Women in STEM: The 2022 CAEL Conference in Chicago In choosing three adult learners from Education at Work to attend the CAEL Conference the criteria were simple; students over a certain age (26), who had taken a non-traditional path through education. In inquiring around the various locations we were able to find our students, and by chance, each of them was a woman, and also by chance, each was working towards an undergraduate degree in STEM. In November of 2022, Madeline Kaye, Sara Gonzales and Abigail Ortega packed their bags and flew to meet up in Chicago for the 2022 CAEL Conference. Here the students told their unique stories, and how they each found a community of advocates at Education at Work that support their personal, professional and academic goals. Sara Gonzales Sara Gonzales is a Student Agent at Education at Work’s Utah campus. She is a wife and a mother and is returning to school after taking years off to start her family. Sara is earning her degree in Network Management Technology at Weber State in Utah. “From the flight reservation to booking the hotels, we were taken care of so well on our trip to the CAEL conference in Chicago. I had never been to Chicago and enjoyed seeing the tall buildings, eating delicious pizza, Italian food, extraordinary coffee and, of course, one of the most fascinating things, the trains that ran above us in Downtown Chicago! When we went to the Palmer House Hotel the architecture inside the building was amazing! I got to see the famed Tiffany & Co. bronze peacock door too! To say that I was excited to be at the CAEL conference is an understatement. The feeling of being in front of a group of people and talking about my story with Education At Work has been a feeling that I’ll never forget. As we attended other events at the CAEL conference and met with other successful people, we got to hear how powerful their stories are and how they got to their positions today. I came back home with a different mindset that I too can achieve my goals and become as successful as those featured in the conference. Overall I loved Chicago and having the opportunity to attend the CAEL conference. It has been an experience I will remember for the rest of my life!” Abigail Ortega Abigail is currently attending UTEP, studying electrical engineering. She took a break after graduating high school because she was burned out, and found she wasn’t sure what to study. In her late 20s she decided to return to college and is now studying Electrical Engineering. “My name is Abigail Ortega, most people call me Abbie. I am currently an undergraduate at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP). I’m pursuing my BS in Electrical Engineering. I am a student agent for Education at Work working for one of our high profile tech clients. This year I had the privilege of being invited to the CAEL conference. Throughout my time there, I went to a variety of events where I got to connect with other adult learners who had also gone through the similar non-linear paths as myself. I was able to meet with different partners from all over the nation and made new connections within our organization. Overall it was a very welcoming experience and eye opening to all the types of opportunity and support there is for adult learners. I was also able to meet with other student agents in Education at Work. Getting to know other women in STEM was amazing – we connected through our personal experiences. Everyone’s story and the life events that brought them to CAEL was overall helpful towards my own educational/career path. I am very grateful for the experience and would gladly do it again!” Madeline Kaye Madeline has been with Education at Work since 2021, started as a student agent and now is a trainer. She is currently attending Weber State in Utah studying Management in Computer Systems. “The CAEL conference was informative and inspiring even during the fun events, such as the ice cream social, or the knowledge exchange hub. This was my first year in attendance. The reception was warm and everyone was very conversational. I walked away better informed and inspired to work with my new network towards the same shared goals. One beautiful thing about this conference was how it brought together individuals who have walked a mile in the shoes of those they support. Some of the notable organizations represented were Strada, CAEL, National University, Purdue University, IBM, AWS, CSU, College Board, CompTIA, and many other regional community colleges and universities. Hearing about the stories of their challenges and sweet success was inspirational. Everyone was very understanding of adult learners’ journey and through various round-table discussions, we each walked away with an additional thought and goal to support for our learners.”
Student Success: Eliana Valenzuela
Student Success: Eliana Valenzuela I am working on a degree in biological sciences at ASU and will be graduating in the spring. Currently, my main degree focus is in chronic illness/disease treatment and prevention, but I have taken opportunities through research fellowships in the honors college to broad my scope and participate in research studying the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on STEM education. I started with Education at Work in July of 2020 as a frontline advocate for one of our Fortune 500 clients. In October of 2021, I moved from frontline operations to training and was given the opportunity to train a solo class as a new student trainer right off the bat. Since then, I have been involved in all training classes for my supported line of business, while also maintaining a connection and supporting role in operations. One such project I undertook to support the operations team was a year-to-date audit of attendance occurrences and disputes for each frontline agent, which I presented to many accolades in a professional staff meeting. Outside of Education at Work, I am working on a degree in biological sciences at ASU and will be graduating in the spring. My main degree focus is in chronic illness/disease treatment and prevention. I have also taken opportunities through research fellowships in the honors college to broaden my scope and participate in research studying the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on STEM education. Post graduation, I will have one additional year at ASU to complete my master’s degree before moving on to continue post graduate research and education. It is entirely because of Education at Work’s tuition assistance that I have decided to pursue a graduate degree. So far I’ve earned over $7K in tuition assistance, and with the other scholarships and awards I’ve received, I’m graduating completely debt free. Thanks Education at Work for providing such a strong professional foundation and helping me to reach my academic goals!
Unique Ways College Students Can Better Their Financial Situation
Unique Ways College Students Can Better Their Financial Situation Programs like EAW’s tuition and financial aid program help increase the value of college students while also providing funding assistance at no cost to their new employee. “I had to take out quite a substantial amount of student loans, so much so that I maxed them out and I wasn’t sure if I was going to graduate.” – Andrew Bland, Education at Work student and Arizona State University graduate of computer sciences. The student debt crisis is worse than it’s ever been before. According to the 2021 student loans report, student debt has increased by 144% since 2007, causing the vast majority of graduates to enter the working world with several years’ worth of debt. Adulthood is already tough enough, and entering this phase of life with massive bills doesn’t make it any easier. Student loans are a serious issue, but it’s something that’ll take a long time to amend. Meanwhile, college students can’t afford to wait around for policy changes, which is why they must take the necessary steps to prepare themselves financially now. Increase Individual Value Everyone sees money as the end goal, especially when it comes to improving finances. However, as a college student, the goal shouldn’t just be to make money – it should be to increase individual value. Getting good grades is great, but getting experience is worth its weight in gold. Building a portfolio and resume through job experience, internships, certifications, freelancing or volunteering will help students make leaps and bounds into their career. Increasing individual value isn’t purely monetary, but it is possible to demonstrate skills while making money, helping in both the short and long term. Programs like Education at Work’s tuition and financial aid program help increase the value of college students while also providing funding assistance at no cost to their new employee. “Landing my dream career is something I never thought possible, and it’s something I couldn’t have done without the help of Education at Work.” – Brittany Collier, Education at Work student and University of Cincinnati graduate of marketing. Showcasing skills and going beyond the classroom curriculum will better the chances of securing job opportunities. Learn Financial Literacy Unfortunately, the majority of high schools don’t teach financial literacy, even though it’s an essential life skill. Taking the time to learn about finances helps with budgeting, and understanding what makes up a credit score, the impact of inflation and tax increases, and how interest rates work will help students understand the real cost of living before they’re caught in the deep end. Learning and sticking to a budget will allow anyone to improve their money management, which will decrease financial stress and help to avoid any further financial hardships. Build Credit Now Credit scores have a huge impact on a person’s ability to finance milestone purchases. Big investments, such as buying a home, have certain credit score requirements which can be hard to meet when a person doesn’t have enough credit. Even purchases like rent, insurance, cell phones and buying a car are impacted by credit score. More often than not, the better the credit score, the lower the interest rate, and the lower the interest rate, the more money to spend and to save. Ideally, people want to build credit as soon as they can, and if someone hasn’t started yet, the best thing to do is to start now. There are many ways to build credit from scratch, and the best way to establish healthy credit is by monitoring your credit score and paying off debts on time. Save Some Money Although it may seem obvious, saving money is essential to improving finances as a student. Start by creating a budget. Figure out fixed expenses and any interest rates, fees or taxes associated with them. Then, list out all variable expenses. Underestimating or overestimating expenses won’t help to create a proper action plan, so try to be as accurate and detailed as possible when budgeting expenses. After creating a budget, look for ways to save money without sacrificing quality of life. It’s surprising how many expenses can be cut down on in college. “It’s really important to save at least a little bit in case of an emergency – like the pandemic – and having at least a savings account will be able to back you up.” – Nicholas Acciardo III, Education at Work student and Arizona State University graduate of Earth and environmental studies. Saving bits of money here and there will pile up and save huge amounts in the long run. Invest, Invest, Invest Earning and saving money is important to financial success, but to really see finances grow, investing is key. One easy way to begin investing is to put money in a bank and earn interest, although it’s also good to set aside any extra money for additional investments, because while banking means easy access to funds, it’s also a very slow growth. Retirement plans, such as 401(k)’s, use compound interest rates, putting only a couple of dollars into a retirement plan early on will help to grow a retirement fund immensely. Another option for those who would rather liquidate funds more easily is the stock market. The average return on a stock investment is 10% per year, which is well beyond the interest rate of most savings accounts. However, this money isn’t guaranteed, so it’s important to research before making the leap. Ultimately, setting aside money for investments will allow growth in finances passively, creating opportunities for students to plan their retirement earlier than others. Although the student debt crisis is an ongoing issue in need of attention, it’s important to always work on improving financial health. Life after college can be a challenging experience, but by practicing healthy money habits, any college student can get one step closer to financial freedom.
Student Success: Brittany Collier
Student Success: Brittany Collier Landing my dream career before graduation is something I never thought possible. It’s something I couldn’t have done without the help of Education at Work. A strong belief of mine has always been that students deserve to have opportunities to gain real-world experiences while they attend college. Education at Work’s mission completely incapsulates this idea, and it’s what intrigued me about the company from the very beginning. After spending a few years as a student recruiter for the company, I was promoted to marketing assistant at the start of 2020. The role expanded my knowledge in marketing and social media, equipping me with the skills I needed to land my dream career. I have always been an avid user of TikTok, the social media platform where users can record video content up to 60 seconds about any topic which interests them. During quarantine, I used the platform to make comedic clips in the hopes of going viral. But in November, I endured a new and troubling life circumstance which left me in a state of depression and anxiety — I needed an outlet to talk to my friends virtually as the pandemic ensued, and that’s where my favorite app came in to help me just when I needed it. Cappuccino is an audio recording app which allows users to make short podcasts with friends — the perfect way to stay connected when people are so distanced. I used it to stay connected with my friends, get their advice and hear the crazy stories they had to tell. I wanted to share this app with the world, considering everyone had been going through times of loneliness and isolation. I decided to make a TikTok about the app. The skills I’ve gained through Education at Work are what ultimately led me to make the perfect viral video. With the communication skills I’ve gained, I was able to talk about the app in a way which was intriguing and relatable. I started my video off with a clean hook, something which would relate to people my age. I went into detail about the app and how it works, so people understood what it was all about. My communication skills helped me express something to the masses in a way which resonates with them. The video began to climb in views, and the moment I knew it was beginning to go viral, I took the personal confidence and motivation I gained from my experience with Education at Work to reach out to the founder of the app via Instagram. I knew I had created something outstanding. The founder was shocked, immediately seeing the value in a potential partnership. After learning about my professional experience in social media and the soft skills I’ve already gained, he offered me a job as a full-time social media contractor. The TikTok video now stands at almost four million views, and soon after getting hired, I was able to create another video which hit six million. I’ve officially been on the Cappuccino team for eight weeks and I am immensely lucky to have a full-time job even before graduation. My skills from Education at Work have now transferred into my dream career. Now, I experience the value of teamwork as I work in partnership with our engineers in France, our designer in New York and our head of communication in California. I fulfill my duties as a leader, coordinating all content for social media. I’ve transferred my organizational skills to this career by using a planner, creating a calendar and meeting deadlines. I execute my time management skills by completing work with the motivation to get content out on time. Lastly, I contribute to the overall success of the company by believing in myself and in my abilities. I still feel as though I haven’t grasped how crazy it all is. Never in my life would I think making a TikTok could lead to the job opportunity of a lifetime. It’s crazy to say I am now a social media contractor for my favorite app. I am extremely grateful for Education at Work and their passion for students gaining real-world experiences before graduation. Because of them, I am completely prepared for the opportunity of a lifetime.
Student Success: Stevan Rademann
Student Success: Stevan Rademann A recent Information Systems graduate from the University of Cincinnati has found his way to his dream career through Education at Work. Stevan Rademann started with Education at Work in 2018, working for our Global Financial Services partner. He was contacted by Education at Work through the hiring platform, Handshake, and knew he wanted to apply for the position. During his time at Education at Work, Stevan earned over $6,000 in tuition assistance and gained a handful of skills along the way for his future career. “I learned how to use a new company software, understood how the company does things culturally, and I realized how to manage work on your own,” says Stevan. “Having a 39-hour work week taught me how to be in a real office for a whole work week. At first it was demanding but then you get in the groove.” Alongside his newfound understanding of company culture, Stevan says that he felt treated as an equal to his fellow associates. “They put a lot of trust in the team. We were able to do things on our own and that can help you grow as an employee and helps you strive to want to work full-time.” With a degree in Information Systems, Stevan was on the hunt for his dream career and found it with that same Financial Services company. At first, Stevan planned to join a lead program with the company, but as the pandemic started, that opportunity was closed down. With a new panic of what to do next, Stevan suddenly found himself accepting an offer to work-full time with the company as a software engineer, starting in January. “When I first started at EAW I didn’t think that first position would lead to my dream job. That’s what hard work with Education at Work can get you.” Education at Work is honored to guide students along their career journey, from the very beginning, until they flourish in their full-time careers. Congrats Stevan, we are happy to have had you!
Student Success: Jacob Castle
Student Success: Jacob Castle From part-time to full-time, Jacob Castle has certainly gotten the full experience of everything Education at Work has to offer. “I’m the first in my family to go to a four-year college, my program was four and a half years,” Jacob says. “It just flew by. But once I finally graduated, it felt like a huge relief. Like all that hard work paying off.” Jacob, who graduated in December 2020 from Northern Kentucky University, started working full-time with Education at Work shortly after the new year. Jacob currently has a position in Corporate Communications and works as Education at Work’s Graphic Designer. Jacob earned his bachelor’s of fine arts in visual communication design from NKU, working for Education at Work for the past two years as a part-time graphic designer. Jacob has contributed several designs for EAW’s internal flyers and announcements, presentations, social media posts, and more. He says he’s earned more than $13,000 in tuition assistance during his time with Education at Work, in addition to hourly wages, which helped him complete his degree with almost no student debt. “That’s one thing I love about Education at Work,” Jacob says. “How they work with me around my classes, then in the summer I can pick up more hours to help pay for school.” Thanks to a referral from a friend, Jacob found a position at Education at Work as a sophomore in college, and was able to gain work experience for his field while also contributing to the organization. With every job, responsibilities will shift once part-time status changes to full-time. That was Jacob’s experience, in which his responsibilities from graphic designer shifted to include corporate communications and other marketing responsibilities. “As a full-time designer on staff, I have a lot more time, and I can take on more projects every week,” Jacob says. “My role has evolved into more of a leadership role where I can tackle projects I could not have before.” Jacob also copy-edits material for corporate-level communications. “At the time, I was just looking for more experience as a designer, I was looking for people with more experience to kind of guide me and teach me more about workflow. Plus, I think working with a larger team with a bunch of different departments helps me develop as a designer more. I’ve actually recommended a lot of friends here.” Jacob says he’s, “happy to finally have a full-time design career where I get to contribute to a great mission, while having stability to get my adult life started.” Jacob’s design portfolio is available at jacobcastle.com.
Student Success: Nicholas Acciardo
Student Success: Nicholas Acciardo Newly graduated Nicholas Acciardo III has plans for his future – and he says he’s gained the skills he needs for his future thanks to his experience at Education at Work. “School and EAW worked hand-in-hand for me.” Newly graduated Nicholas Acciardo III has plans for his future – and he says he’s gained the skills he needs for his future thanks to his experience at Education at Work. Nicholas, who earned his degree in May 2020 from Arizona State University, has worked for Education at Work for since July 2019. He credited Education at Work, in part, for his completion of his bachelor’s in Earth and Environmental Studies due to not having any student debt by the end of his senior year. “My last semester, I didn’t owe anything,” Nicholas says. “I actually got a refund from ASU because my scholarships, along with Education at Work’s tuition assistance, actually covered semester costs, so I got a check back from ASU, which was really nice.” While he didn’t work directly with studying climate change or earth systems under Education at Work’s programs, Nicholas says he still gained important experiences working part-time while attending school. “They worked hand-in-hand because my major map and my school schedule were set, because my major is kind of small, so I had to take these specific classes at these specific times, and there’s no alternative,” Nicholas says. “So, being able to have the flexibility in my work schedule to meet my class schedule needs was imperative. I wasn’t sure what else I’d be able to do in a situation like that.” But Education at Work didn’t just have an impact on Nicholas. In fact, Nicholas had an impact on Education at Work. While working for a U.S.-based financial services company, Nicholas was responsible for account management, customer service interaction, maintaining an organized workflow throughout the day, and meeting high key performance indicator goals. This resulted in high productivity, and earned Nicholas recognition from his leadership team. “Earning the experience of working for an organization like this,” Nicholas says, “it was crazy going into this big office with lots of people and a really defined structure, and learning to navigate that way. It gave me a good experience to see what an office job is like, the organization behind it, and how people work every day in that fit schedule.” Nicholas says he earned a number of skills that he can carry with him into his career path – a path that is now an arm’s length away given his completion of his degree. Organization skills, taking initiative, navigating an office environment and professional communication are only a few of the skills Nicholas can carry on with him. “I learned how to navigate having specific meetings, how to work closer to supervisors, how to keep stats in line, and I think everything has been beneficial,” Nicholas says. With the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality on his radar for future employment in his career path, Nicholas says his experience with Education at Work is part of the reason he can look forward to pursuing his career with less student debt once the pandemic subsides. “I think Education at Work gave me a really good experience as to better manage my time and money, because going between school and work and home, I was always occupied,” Nicholas says. “It’s great experience in the future once you have a more stable career. Because once you learn how to manage it the first time, later in life it won’t be as difficult.” Nicholas’ dream job is to work for the California Academy of Sciences.
How colleges can do more to help undergraduates explore relevant careers to the job market
How colleges can do more to help undergraduates explore relevant careers to the job market Inside Higher Ed Inside Higher Ed and the Strada Education Network hosted a virtual event last month with current college students on career exploration during the pandemic. We asked several experts and one of the student panelists to write essays about how colleges and universities can better bridge gaps between education and the job market. Those essays follow. READ ARTICLE
Student Success: Kaleb Keown
Student Success: Kaleb Keown Kaleb Keown is a first-generation student who graduated debt-free from Arizona State University in May of 2019. Kaleb Keown is a first-generation student who graduated from Arizona State University in May of 2019 with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology. Kaleb worked at Education at Work for more than a year and accepted a full-time position in April 2020 with the same financial service company he worked with while employed at Education at Work. Kaleb quickly grew his skills at Education at Work, earning a promotion as a Senior Agent while he was an undergraduate student. Once he graduated with his bachelor’s degree, Kaleb was promoted to a Student Supervisor role. “My overall experience at Education at Work is nothing short of amazing,” says Kaleb. “I had virtually no professional work experience going into Education at Work, and I walked out with a resume worth of amazing experience.” When he first joined the Education at Work team, he wasn’t sure what to expect. He says he was seeking professional experience but was also met with a fun and exciting crowd of people that supported him through his journey. “The people around you make the biggest difference, especially people with different educational backgrounds,” says Kaleb. “You’re networking every single day you’re in there, let alone just making great friends and having a good time.” After making connections with his peers, Kaleb found that the most valuable skill he learned was how to be an effective leader for his team. Kaleb says his time at Education at Work prepared him to help lead people to help them succeed. After working for Education at Work for just under two years, Kaleb earned more than $5,600 in tuition assistance. He says that without the tuition assistance he earned he wouldn’t have been able to graduate debt free.
Education at Work helps students build resumes and decrease debt
Education at Work helps students build resumes and decrease debt Chamber Business News Education at Work (EAW), a nonprofit that provides contact center and staffing services to organizations, is helping students graduate with almost no debt while also developing the skills needed to secure a jobs postgrad. READ ARTICLE