Rethinking Student Employment

At this year’s SXSW EDU, an annual event showcasing innovation in education, the conversation around work-based learning took center stage during a dynamic panel discussion titled “Learning While Earning: Rethinking Student Employment.” Moderated by Iris Palmer, Director of Community Colleges at New America, the panel featured expert insights from:

• Jane Swift, President of Education at Work
• Les O’Reilly, Director of Expert Sourcing Strategy & Partnerships, Intuit
• Louie Rodriguez, J.D., Vice Provost for Professional Development, Engagement, and Strategic Initiatives, University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP)

Together, they explored how new student employment models can disrupt broken college-to-career systems and expand access to meaningful work experience for more college students.

Why Work-Based Learning is Critical

For many college students, working while studying is not just an option—it’s a necessity. Forty percent of full-time undergraduates are employed, working between 20 and 34 hours a week. First-generation college students face more significant challenges, often juggling longer work hours with fewer opportunities to secure career-boosting internships.

Yet, internships remain a crucial stepping stone for students’ career success. Research from Strada Education Foundation and Handshake reveals that students overwhelmingly want internships, but barriers like time, finances, and accessibility prevent many from participating. Competition for these coveted opportunities is increasing– internship postings on Handshake declined by 15% between January 2023 and January 2025, making it even harder for students to gain relevant experience.

Meanwhile, businesses are also struggling. Six in ten hiring managers report gaps in new grads’ skills, and many have fired Gen Z workers in the past year due to a lack of job readiness. So, how can we bridge the divide?

The Education at Work Solution: A Scalable Model for Work-Based Learning

During the panel discussion, Jane Swift highlighted how Education at Work (E@W) redefines student employment by connecting college students with flexible, paid roles at Fortune 500 companies. This enables them to earn a paycheck, gain durable and technical skills, and graduate with real-world work experience—all without sacrificing their education.

Unlike traditional on-campus jobs or unpaid internships, E@W partners directly with universities and businesses to create work opportunities that integrate with students’ academic schedules while providing industry-aligned skills training.

“This is about removing

barriers for students,” Jane explained. “We need solutions that work for students who are already balancing work and school and also meet businesses’ needs for talent development.”

How Can Work-Based Learning Be Scaled?

 How to scale work-based learning beyond pilot programs and isolated partnerships was a key topic of discussion, and the panelists explored several policy solutions at both the state and federal levels, including:

✔ Expanding federal work-study eligibility to support more off-campus, career-relevant employment opportunities
✔ Incentivizing employer partnerships to increase paid work-based learning programs
✔ Investing in intermediary organizations like Education at Work, which help facilitate scalable solutions for students and employers 

Looking Ahead

The conversation at SXSW EDU emphasized that the current student employment model isn’t working for most students or businesses seeking skilled talent. New approaches, like Education at Work’s model, demonstrate that earning while learning doesn’t have to be a choice between a paycheck and a career path—it’s a way to achieve both.

As the workforce continues to evolve, the need for scalable and accessible work-based learning programs has never been greater. We’d love to connect if you’re a university, employer, or policymaker looking to help students bridge the gap between education and career success.

Contact Us to learn more about how Education at Work is shaping the future of student employment.