Student Success: Hussain Pirbhai

Student Success: Hussain Pirbhai Hussain Pirbhai, a graduate from University of Texas, Dallas (UTD) reflects on his time at Education at Work and shares how the experience has prepared him for the job he currently holds at Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company and the double master’s degrees he is in pursuit of now in Information Technology Management. Hussain Pirbhai, who graduated in Spring of 2023 from the University of Texas, Dallas (UTD), with a degree in Information Technology and Systems, specializing in IT Sales Engineering, spoke with me about his time at Education at Work and how the experience helped him get to where he is today. Hussain began working at Education at Work for Fidelity Investments during his last semester of college through the middle of the summer after he graduated. As he reflects on his time at Education at Work, Hussain is most grateful for the friendships made and the invaluable knowledge gained about financial planning, investments, and overall business acumen that he will be able to take with him and apply through the rest of his life. Not to mention, all while earning enough money to afford college and graduate debt-free. What position did you hold while working at Education at Work? Hussain: I worked for Fidelity Investments as a non qual differed compensation intern – assisting the service delivery managers on the non-qual team on projects they needed help with through the quarter, such as creating reports, analysis, and cross-checking data. What would you say are the key things you learned or key takeaways being a part of Education at Work working with Fidelity? Hussain: Developing interpersonal skills, specifically communication skills. I would be in meetings with service delivery managers, which was extremely insightful. Being able to witness what was being discussed from a high-level strategic perspective. Becoming accustomed to working for a large firm like Fidelity and being able to communicate with people at different levels within a company. Improving my Excel skills – advanced concepts in Excel from creating advanced reports to sorting data and running macros. I also became familiar with Fidelity’s own proprietary software for analytics. This experience provided insight into what large companies use for gathering data and how to use it without being intimidated. Now I feel confident that no matter what company I work for in the future, I will be able to quickly adapt and learn their systems, processes, and software. What three things did you like about working at EAW as a full-time student? Hussain: The first was flexibility. It was absolutely amazing that Education at Work allowed me the opportunity to create my own schedule and work based off my own class schedule as a full-time student. This was my last semester, which was very hectic, and I had to also add on another class, but the flexibility I was provided to change my work schedule a couple of times to accommodate my changing class schedule was something I greatly appreciated. It allowed me to focus on my academics, while also earning an income working. It provided me with that multi-tasking ability. The second was working in a hybrid environment where I had the opportunity to either go into the office, work from home, or do both depending on my class schedule. My managers were very supportive in allowing me to come into the office for a shift prior to my classes, then stop to attend class and finish up my shift at home. I also loved the Fidelity campus, it was so beautiful, so I didn’t mind going into the office for my shifts. In fact, there were times I would just go to the office and get a study room to do my schoolwork or study. The third was the relationship that built with my Education at Work managers and co-workers. Everyone was so helpful, warm, and kind to me and my brother (who also worked at Education at Work). I really enjoyed working with them and made many friends. What would tell students who are looking for employment to help afford college and stay in school about Education at Work? Hussain: What I would tell students about Education at Work is it is a wonderful program if you want to make good money for part-time work and real-world experience at a major corporation. Regardless of what your major or degree is in, this opportunity is a great alternative if you find it hard to get an internship in your field of study which is many times hard to get. Education at Work allows you the opportunity to work with a fortune 500 company and have resume-worthy experience to show after graduation, allowing a great start to your career. I told all my friends and other students I know about working with Education at Work. You are provided a flexible work schedule that accommodates your classes, and for students who want to work for the summer and can’t get an internship, you have the chance to earn wages and tuition assistance along with skills and experience to put on your resume that would be applicable anywhere. This is a much better option than working a summer job at Walmart, Target, or Whole Foods. Now that you have graduated, what are your plans moving forward? Hussain: I have a position at Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company (HPE) as part of their inside sales team working in pre-sales and marketing. HP recently acquired a new cybersecurity/cloud platform, and my role is on a new task force, and it’s been amazing. It’s like I’m working for a startup while at a large company. Although I am on the sales side of things, my IT background is really helping with the job as I have been able to assist my co-workers and peers when they get stuck on topics related to technology. I am also getting a MS/MBA doing a double major, double masters, at University of Texas, Dallas (UTD) in Information Technology Management. “I cannot thank Education at Work and all the

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.”

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.”

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.

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!

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.