E@W and UTEP Celebrates Successful Partnership
E@W and UTEP Celebrates Successful Partnership Helping UTEP Students Earn Over $1 Million in Wages and Tuition Assistance We were very excited to celebrate the successful one-year partnership with the University of Texas, El Paso (UTEP) and Discover Financial Services (DFS) this past week at UTEP’s campus and the Plaza Pioneer Park in El Paso, Texas. Leadership and staff from Education at Work gathered together to not only celebrate how far we’ve come in the past year helping UTEP students, but how much more we can accomplish given the partnership between Education at Work, UTEP, and Discover will be expanding with the proven success of this collaboration. In the coming academic year, even more UTEP students will be able to gain valuable experience through part-time jobs with Discover, while earning money to offset the cost of college and graduate debt-free. Participants and guests of last week’s festivities relished in the positive impact being made in the lives of UTEP students as they listened to valuable insights, inspirational stories, and were reminded why we partner with innovative businesses like Discover and universities like UTEP to realize our mission of helping high-achieving college students gain the career-ready skills and financial stability needed to succeed after graduation. “The UTEP celebration marks a milestone that is evidence of EAW’s commitment to pursuing excellence, dedication to our mission, and the collective efforts of an exceptional team,” said Demetria Ingram, Education at Work’s vice president of learning and development. “We celebrated an achievement that should serve as a reminder of what we accomplished together with a shared vision. Cheers to the journey that we have travelled and extraordinary possibilities that lie ahead in El Paso, Texas.” Our proven work-based learning model generates career outcomes for students, provides employers a skilled workforce to address an early talent need, and delivers higher ed institutions a sustainable affordability and student success model. “To deliver on our mission of access and economic mobility, we need to use every tool at our disposal to reduce college costs and create educational experiences that prepare students for the world of work,” said John Wiebe, Ph.D., UTEP provost and vice president for academic affairs. “This model allows us to do both at the same time.” https://vimeo.com/865388747 EAW enables college students to gain real-world experience at major employers and Fortune 500 companies. UTEP students participating in the program have the opportunity to work on behalf of Discover Financial Services’ consumer-facing financial services team. “At Discover, it is our mission to help people spend smarter, manage debt better, and save more to achieve a brighter financial future. This partnership builds on that mission by helping students advance their formal education while learning important job skills,” said Tracy Hedrick, Discover Financial Services vice president of card operations. “We are excited to invest in these students while they are pursuing careers in their field of study and building brighter financial futures.” In addition to developing resume-ready skills and earning wages through flexible hourly work, UTEP students receive up to $5,250 per year of employer-paid tuition assistance from Discover to help offset the cost of their education. In the one-year partnership, UTEP students have already received over $1.1 million in wages and tuition assistance earned. “It was such an amazing experience to celebrate with UTEP, Discover, Strada, and the leadership from Education at Work. It’s amazing what a year can do, and to not only see it but be absorbed into it last week, was such an honor. I had an opportunity to speak to each individual and to feel genuine appreciation and commitment from all of them. It was a time of team bonding and reflection, reminding me why I work at EAW and how impactful our mission truly is. I couldn’t be more excited for the future of our organization.” – Stephanie Toston, Vice President of Growth, Education at Work Students at UTEP can apply for opportunities with Education at Work and Discover Financial Services at educationatwork.org/student-jobs.
Student Success: Amanda Sather
Student Success: Amanda Sather Recent ASU grad, Amanda Sather, reflects on her time at Education at Work as she gets ready to head off to the University of Connecticut in pursuit of her master’s degree and doctorate. She is grateful for the time spent, relationships made, and credits her Education at Work experience for the invaluable leadership skills and abilities she’s developed while earning a debt-free education. Amanda Sather, who graduated from Arizona State University in May of 2023 with a bachelor’s degree, reflects on her time at Education at Work as she begins at the University of Connecticut in pursuit of her master’s degree and doctorate in Human Development and Family Sciences. Amanda started working at Education at Work for a U.S.-based financial services company in November of 2020 and continued with that same company throughout her college career moving her way up from customer service rep to supervisor. As she reflects, Amanda is most grateful for the relationships made and the invaluable leadership skills and abilities she developed, all while earning money to afford college and graduate debt-free. During her time at Education at Work, Amanda gained recognition from her leadership team as she quickly grew her skills in account management, customer service interaction, workflow organization, and meeting high key performance indicator goals which resulted in high productivity. She was promoted to a leadership position within a year. “While most college students must wait until after they graduate for the opportunity to experience the level of responsibility required to obtain lifelong professional skills, I was able to accomplish this while still an undergraduate student”, says Amanda. As a Student Supervisor, Amanda was responsible for managing and coaching 15 student representatives until she graduated this past Spring. Upon graduation, she was hired full-time in that same leadership position prior to leaving for Connecticut. Amanda found that the most valuable skill she learned was how to be an effective leader for her team and credits her time at Education at Work for preparing her to effectively lead people and help them succeed. Amanda pointed out that an additional key benefit to her time at Education at Work was the ability to have a flexible work schedule, working part-time while a full-time student and increase her hours when she didn’t have classes over the summer. This helped Amanda afford college and complete her degree with no student debt. “The flexibility and convenience of earning wages and tuition assistance while still a full-time student is what I valued most about Education at Work”, Amanda says. “How I was able to work for a large corporation that worked with me around my classes, and then in the summer could pick up more hours to help pay for school.” Amanda concludes, “My overall experience at Education at Work was truly rewarding. I had virtually no professional work experience going into Education at Work, and I walked out knowing how to navigate difficult conversations, overcome challenges, and hit performance goals, all lifelong professional skills that are extremely beneficial.”
A Unique Alternative Solution to BPOs
A Unique Alternative Solution To BPOs E@W’s proven work-based learning model can help companies effectively address the persistent issue of employee retention within their own extended workforce. By offering access to motivated, digital-native students, innovative occupancy management, and high-performance culture, Education at Work equips companies with a business solution to build committed, productive, and satisfied employees, driving their growth and success in the long run. In today’s hyper-competitive market, Corporations and Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) companies face a recurring challenge: employee retention. High attrition rates in the industry can be attributed to various factors, including the demanding nature of the job, inconsistent schedules, and the absence of career growth opportunities. This constant turnover results in increased hiring and training costs for the BPO, and lower productivity combined with potentially diminished customer satisfaction for the company partner which all impact a company’s bottom line. Firstly, finding a smart, eager, and adaptive workforce is critical in addressing retention issues. Hiring candidates who are motivated, capable, and digitally proficient can result in a more engaged workforce, reducing attrition rates. This is where Education at Work comes into play. Our non-profit organization offers unparalleled access to a US-based collegiate workforce, thanks to strong partnerships with universities that bring in new cohorts annually. The advantage is twofold. On one hand, these students are eager to apply their academic learning to real-world job opportunities. On the other hand, their digital nativeness ensures shorter and faster training and onboarding processes. Workforce management is another significant factor contributing to high attrition rates. Inconsistent and unsociable working hours can lead to job dissatisfaction and eventually, employee turnover. To tackle this issue, Education at Work provides employers with the ability to deploy students in 30-minute work intervals. This innovative approach manages peaks and valleys in call volume, decreasing full-time costs and promoting a balanced work-study schedule for students. Consequently, businesses witness lower abandon rates and improved utilization rates, translating into substantial cost savings. Another aspect that is often neglected is that creating a high-performance and rewarding culture within an organization is key to retaining employees. When staff feel they are contributing positively to a company’s success and are rewarded for it, they are more likely to stay committed. Education at Work provides a trained and committed workforce that delivers high performance on customer satisfaction and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). This is supported by a stellar 90% customer satisfaction rating, a testament to Education at Work’s focus on training and coaching to enhance performance and foster a culture of excellence. On the other hand, the students get tuition assistance, a competitive wage and gain valuable career skills that open the door to a bright future.
Student Success: Samantha Andrew
Student Success: Samantha Andrew Samantha Andrew, a graduate from Northern Kentucky University (NKU) reflects on her time at Education at Work as she gets ready to begin her career as a 4th grade elementary school teacher with the knowledge of financial planning that will set her up for her future. Samantha Andrew, who graduated from Northern Kentucky University in May of 2023 with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education, reflects on her time at Education at Work as she gets ready to begin her teaching career as a 4th grade elementary school teacher. Samantha began working at Education at Work for a U.S.-based multinational financial services company in April of 2019 and continued with that same company throughout the entire time she attended college. As she reflects on her time at Education at Work, Samantha is most grateful for the friendships made and the invaluable knowledge gained about financial products and financial planning that she will be able to take with her and apply through the rest of her life. Not to mention, all while earning enough money to afford college and graduate debt-free. “During my time at Education at Work, I was not only able to gain financial knowledge to prepare me to set myself up early to save for my future using financial products, but I was also able to make so many friends during my time with the program.” An additional key benefit, Samantha pointed out, to her time at Education at Work was the ability to have a flexible work schedule – working part-time while a full-time student with the opportunity to increase her hours when she didn’t have classes over the summer. This helped Samantha afford college and complete her degree with no student debt. “The flexibility offered by Education at Work allowed me the opportunity to fit extracurricular activities into my schedule and earning wages and tuition assistance while still a full-time student.” “I liked that fact that I was able to work for a large corporation that worked with me around my classes and activities, and then in the summer could pick up more hours to help pay for school,” she says. Samantha concludes, “Overall, I cannot thank Education at Work enough for the amazing opportunity it provided. It was an incredible place to work, a place where I forged meaningful relationships, developed lifelong knowledge and skills that will help me in my future, and able to earn enough money to graduate debt free.”
An E@W Leader’s Perspective on DEI
An E@W Leader’s Perspective on DEI Since and before I started working at Education at Work, we have strongly committed to increasing and maintaining our accessibility… Since and before I started working at Education at Work, we have strongly committed to increasing and maintaining our accessibility and opportunities for success regardless of background, ethnicity, beliefs, identity, and appearance because we know that every individual brings value to the table and deserves the opportunity to be successful. When I heard Education at Work was recently awarded the 2023 Diversity Equity Inclusion Workplace certification by Diversity for Social Impact for providing equitable professional and educational opportunities to diverse students, I was honored that Education at Work and the Strada Foundation were being recognized for the effort we’ve put in over the years. We are proud to say that 75% of our students come from diverse, underrepresented backgrounds and 50% of our students are first-generation college students. I am especially excited for Education at Work because embracing diversity, equity, and inclusion is not only the right thing to do, but it’s essential for creating a truly effective and transformative work environment. By valuing and respecting the unique perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences of every individual, Education at Work can help foster a more equitable and inclusive society, in which everyone can succeed and thrive. Since inception at Education at Work over ten years ago, we have been able to level the playing field for historically underserved student populations. We have had the privilege of getting to watch our students learn and grow through their respective training and operational program – where they often are outperformers their professional counterparts. As a result of the professional skills and confidence gained with Education at Work, they are more likely than other graduates to land that first big job post-graduation – and that is what makes our jobs worth it, day in and day out. In conclusion, this acknowledgement is a great achievement and a powerful springboard to continue breaking the mold for even greater acceptance, diversity, and inclusivity in higher education and across the professional world. I hope this award encourages individuals of all backgrounds to realize their success is achievable as their effort is more equitably recognized by society. – Patrice Clark, Education at Work Vice President, Human Resources
Student Success: Tomás Valladares
Student Success: Tomás Valladares I am finishing my degree in finance at the University of North Texas and will be graduating in the spring with a full-time job lined up as a commercial underwriter with a major insurance carrier. I have worked at Education at Work all 3 years of my college career. In one of my first business classes, the professor told our class that one of the most important steps a college student can take is getting a job in the industry they are studying. A few weeks after hearing this I saw a job post for a phone agent position at a well-known financial company via Education at Work. Applying for this position ultimately propelled my career forward more than I could have imagined. The flexibility offered by Education at Work allowed me to fit extracurricular activities into my schedule while going to school full-time. Professional organizations were also quick to accept my applications after seeing that I had experience in the industry and had developed important soft skills. Education at Work gave me recognition for the work I did and provided me with promotions along the way. After working in customer service roles for nearly a year and a half, I was able to transition to a project manager role, allowing me to develop a wide spectrum of work experience with a Fortune 500 company. During an internship interview, the manager interviewing me kept coming back to the fact that I had client-facing experience and project management skills. I believe these two skills developed at Education at Work were critical in landing the internship, leading to a full-time offer after graduation. I view Education at Work as a vital supplement to my college education. The two worked in tandem to provide a holistic educational experience that pushed my career forward while providing financial support along the way.
Student Success: Zach Stanich
Student Success: Zach Stanich I studied my first two years of college at Portland State University in Oregon. Shortly after moving down to Arizona, I learned about Education at Work through Arizona State University. Now that I am graduating from ASU, I am reminiscing about my time at Education at Work. I am sad it is coming to an end but I am also very grateful for my 2 years at Education at Work. Education at Work has given me the opportunity to graduate from ASU with zero student debt. The amazing staff and leadership at Education at Work always make your education the #1 priority. They are constantly working around your school schedule and make sure you have time off for your finals. The environment of Education at Work, their staff and employees are all so welcoming and engaged in a common goal; everyone wants YOU to succeed and grow while obtaining your education. I started my journey as a cell miner. I then had the chance to move up into our first ever LVAR team. I was able to help support and create the team with my supervisor at the time. I was the top performer on the team and my supervisor asked me to help as a “peer coach.” This gave me many skills and opportunities to learn as I helped my peers grow as well. Now that I am graduating, I have been given an opportunity through Education at Work’s partnership with one of our high profile financial clients. I have been offered a full-time job and will be able to get my foot in the door with leadership opportunities based on my pre-established relationships in the company. My last day with Education at Work is January 7th! Overall, I cannot thank Education at Work enough for the amazing opportunity it has given me. It is an incredible place to work. Everything I have to say about Education at Work is positive and it gave me the opportunity to grow while attending ASU. The skills and abilities Education at Work helped me develop have empowered me to reach my professional goals. I want to take the time to thank you EAW one last time for everything you have given me during my time here.
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.