Rethink Student Employment: Benefits of Work Integrated Learning
Working learners are more likely to experience equity, skills and economic mobility gaps. Learners who work full- or part-time face a unique dilemma – juggling and managing demands across available time, resources and energy. For many working learners, this dilemma can impact not only academic progress and success but also future career opportunities and long-term financial mobility.
The numbers tell the story
43%
of working learners are low income
89%
of business leaders believe that college graduates do not have the skills employers need
<50%
of college graduates are successful in finding purposeful work
Our nationwide challenge
1
Equity in access
Intentionally design more equitable outcomes and build in access to career readiness support
2
Career readiness
Build in intentional professional development, mentoring, reflections and a peer community
3
Student satisfaction
Reimagine student employment as an essential component of a professional journey rather than only as a way to earn money, to increase post-graduation satisfaction
4
Finding employment
Integrate career readiness support through paid work experience so students learn how to articulate their transferable skills and competencies to employers
Employment outcomes for adults with bachelor's degrees
Graduates whose work aligns with their values, strengths and interests are three times more likely to find a high purpose in their work. Findings from Strada’s recent publication provide further evidence of extant racialized equity gaps in personal fulfillment, as well as earning at least 20% more than the median high school graduate.
Source: Success Beyond Completion: How Can We Best Measure Student Outcomes? (Strada)
"The working-learner experience has transformed my perspective on my job. I now recognize the importance of maximizing my role and leveraging it as a stepping stone on my path to career readiness.”
Be part of the community.
Our platform is designed to provide you with personalized resources and insights to help you achieve the goal of improving working learner outcomes. You will be able to connect with others working towards the same goal, receive notifications about new resources, and be the first to hear about upcoming events and opportunities.
When you join The Work+Collective, you also become a member of the W+C LinkedIn Community! This allows you to directly engage, chat and ask questions with other members of the community.