Building a Sustainable Talent Pipeline Through Strategic University Partnerships

Building a Sustainable Talent Pipeline Through Strategic University Partnerships By collaborating with higher education institutions, organizations like Education at Work gain direct access to emerging talent, align with evolving skill development needs, and create lasting connections that drive retention and brand loyalty. In a rapidly evolving labor market, organizations face the dual challenge of finding qualified talent and ensuring alignment with evolving industry needs. One increasingly popular solution is establishing university partnerships to build a sustainable talent pipeline. Let’s explore how strategic university partnerships are reshaping the future of talent acquisition. Access to Emerging Talent University partnerships offer companies unparalleled access to diverse, emerging talent. Colleges and universities are hubs for ambitious, tech-savvy students ready to make their mark professionally. Through these partnerships, organizations have a unique opportunity to reach students before they enter the broader job market, helping identify and develop high-potential candidates early on. Education at Work’s partnerships with universities, for instance, create pathways for students to gain work experience and allow employers to mold talent to meet specific organizational needs. By connecting with students during their educational journey, companies can support their growth and prepare them for roles that require specialized skills—something that might be more challenging with talent sourced from traditional recruiting channels. This mutually beneficial relationship equips students with practical experience and provides businesses with a pipeline of engaged, knowledgeable future employees. Alignment with Skills Development Needs The future of work demands constantly evolving skills, especially in fields like technology, analytics, project management, and customer service. University partnerships enable companies to influence curriculum development and align it with industry requirements. Collaborating with academic institutions allows businesses to ensure students remain equipped with the skills most relevant to the market. Education at Work, for instance, works closely with its partner universities to align job roles with the skills students learn in the classroom. This alignment ensures that students gain practical experience that complements their academic training, making them more adaptable and capable employees post-graduation. By providing on-the-job training that aligns with current industry demands, companies enhance students’ employability and create a better-prepared workforce to contribute from day one. Enhancing Brand Visibility and Loyalty University partnerships can also significantly build brand loyalty and visibility among students. When a company actively participates in a student’s academic journey, it leaves a positive impression that can influence students’ employment choices upon graduation. This association boosts the company’s employer brand, making it an attractive destination for students entering the workforce. Education at Work, for instance, finds that students who experience the company’s culture during their college years are more likely to view it favorably and consider it a long-term employer. This early exposure cultivates loyalty, increasing the likelihood of students accepting full-time roles post-graduation and staying with the organization for the long term. This practice boosts employee retention and reduces the costs associated with high turnover rates. The Future of University Partnerships in Talent Pipeline Development The landscape of university partnerships is rapidly evolving, with technology and remote learning transforming how students engage with employers. Here are a few trends to watch: Emphasis on Technology Integration: Organizations increasingly leverage technology to reach students beyond traditional campus settings. Virtual career fairs, online mentorship programs, and digital skill-building workshops allow companies to connect with a broader range of students and provide real-world experience remotely. Growth in Hybrid and Remote Learning: As remote and hybrid learning become more common, companies have new opportunities to interact with students outside campus visits or internships. This flexibility enables organizations to engage talent across diverse geographies and encourages inclusivity in recruitment. Focus on Micro-credentials and Specialized Skills: Micro-credentials, boot camps, and specialized courses are becoming popular among students seeking specific skills. University partnerships integrating these learning formats help students and companies stay up-to-date with in-demand skills, creating a continuous learning culture that benefits both parties. Conclusion In today’s competitive job market, university partnerships are essential for companies looking to secure a sustainable talent pipeline. By providing access to emerging talent, aligning with skill development needs, and enhancing brand visibility and loyalty, these partnerships offer a long-term advantage in recruitment and retention. As technology and educational trends evolve, forward-thinking organizations like Education at Work are leading the way by leveraging university partnerships to help employers build a resilient and adaptable workforce prepared for the future. Ready to future-proof your talent pipeline? Contact us to learn how our university partnerships can support your recruitment goals and help shape the skilled professionals your organization needs. 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Jane Swift is New E@W Leader

Jane Swift the Former Massachusetts Governor is New E@W Leader The former Massachusetts Governor begins her first day as Education at Work’s President leading this unique nonprofit that connects companies with tomorrow’s talent and college students with valuable real-world work experience. After nearly two decades as an executive, advisor and company builder working at the intersection of learning and economic opportunity, Jane Swift takes on her new role. She most recently served as an operating partner at the private investment firm Vistria Group, and as the president of LearnLaunch, a national nonprofit education accelerator focused on improving collaboration between policymakers, practitioners, and the technology sector. Swift previously served as CEO of Middlebury Interactive Languages, an education startup launched in partnership with Middlebury College. Swift takes the helm of Education at Work, an organization that over the past decade has built a series of effective campus-based partnerships with multiple major public flagship universities—including Arizona State University, Northern Kentucky University, the University of Texas, El Paso and the University of Utah. “As a former Pell Grant recipient and work-study student, I know firsthand what it’s like to have to earn your way through college. But I also know that our educational system was never designed to make college and work compatible,” said Swift. “I’m on a mission to show business leaders that college students represent not just tomorrow’s talent, but skills and expertise that matter today. This is about creating real, meaningful work experiences that not only help to make college more affordable but offer a springboard to graduates as they launch their careers.” Nationally, an estimated 600,000 college students participate in the Federal Work Study program, often in on-campus jobs. By partnering with both colleges and Fortune 500 companies, including Discover Financial Services and Fidelity, Education at Work enables college students to gain valuable, real-world experience while earning significant hourly wages and up to $5,250 in tuition assistance annually to offset the cost of college. Since its inception in 2012, Education at Work has awarded over $100 million in combined wages and tuition assistance to nearly 8,100 students nationwide. Participating students are 25% more likely to graduate from their institution and to do so with 40% less student debt in comparison to their institutional peers. 75% of the participating students identify as students of color and 50% are first generation college graduates. Education at Work graduates reported salaries that were, on average, more than 10 percent higher than the average annual salary for adults with only a high school diploma —and also significantly higher than similar college graduates that did not participate in the program. A longtime advocate for excellence in education, Swift was recently appointed by U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona as a member of the National Assessment Governing Board (NAGB), which oversees the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), otherwise known as the “Nation’s Report Card.” She has also lectured and held fellowships at a variety of universities, including Boston College School of Law and the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and served as the co-chair of the selection committee for the 2023 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence. “From her time in public service to her dynamic corporate career, Jane has earned a well-deserved reputation for a common-sense—and effective—brand of leadership,” said Tom Dawson, president of Strada Collaborative, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that is the corporate parent of Education at Work. “Jane is uniquely well-matched for the needs of this work—and will bring the leadership, vision and industry expertise needed to lead the organization through this critical phase of growth, ” Dawson says.
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.
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