Student Success: Tomás Valladares

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.