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Category: Industry News

EAW industry news will always be updated for its employees.
The contact center industry and non-profit industry is constantly evolving. Because of the constant change, Education at Work is always keeping our employees informed.
Read about the industry as a whole. What is it like to work at a contact center? What does a non-profit need in this day and age? Read all about EAW industry news.
“Education at Work is adjusting to the needs of students getting interviewed, hired, trained, and working the job – all from home. In the middle of a global pandemic, getting a job is a relief for many college students.”
EAW keeps students informed both on a company level and on an industry level.

Unique Ways College Students Can Better Their Financial Situation

Programs like EAW’s tuition and financial aid program help increase the value of college students while also providing funding assistance at no cost to their new employee.

By educationworkadmin
Published on

“I had to take out quite a substantial amount of student loans, so much so that I maxed them out and I wasn’t sure if I was going to graduate.” – Andrew Bland, EAW student and Arizona State University graduate of computer sciences.

The student debt crisis is worse than it’s ever been before. According to the 2021 student loans report,, student debt has increased by 144% since 2007, causing the vast majority of graduates to enter the working world with several years’ worth of debt.

Adulthood is already tough enough, and entering this phase of life with massive bills doesn’t make it any easier. Student loans are a serious issue, but it’s something that’ll take a long time to amend.

Meanwhile, college students can’t afford to wait around for policy changes, which is why they must take the necessary steps to prepare themselves financially now.

Increase Individual Value

Everyone sees money as the end goal, especially when it comes to improving finances. However, as a college student, the goal shouldn’t just be to make money – it should be to increase individual value.

Getting good grades is great, but getting experience is worth its weight in gold. Building a portfolio and resume through job experience, internships, certifications, freelancing or volunteering will help students make leaps and bounds into their career.

Increasing individual value isn’t purely monetary, but it is possible to demonstrate skills while making money, helping in both the short and long term. Programs like EAW’s tuition and financial aid program help increase the value of college students while also providing funding assistance at no cost to their new employee.

“Landing my dream career is something I never thought possible, and it’s something I couldn’t have done without the help of Education at Work.” – Brittany Collier, EAW student and University of Cincinnati graduate of marketing. 

Showcasing skills and going beyond the classroom curriculum will better the chances of securing job opportunities.

Learn Financial Literacy

Unfortunately, the majority of high schools don’t teach financial literacy, even though it’s an essential life skill. Taking the time to learn about finances helps with budgeting, and understanding what makes up a credit score, the impact of inflation and tax increases, and how interest rates work will help students understand the real cost of living before they’re caught in the deep end.

Learning and sticking to a budget will allow anyone to improve their money management, which will decrease financial stress and help to avoid any further financial hardships.

Build Credit Now

Credit scores have a huge impact on a person’s ability to finance milestone purchases. Big investments, such as buying a home, have certain credit score requirements which can be hard to meet when a person doesn’t have enough credit.

Even purchases like rent, insurance, cell phones and buying a car are impacted by credit score. More often than not, the better the credit score, the lower the interest rate, and the lower the interest rate, the more money to spend and to save.

Ideally, people want to build credit as soon as they can, and if someone hasn’t started yet, the best thing to do is to start now. There are many ways to build credit from scratch, and the best way to establish healthy credit is by monitoring your credit score and paying off debts on time.

Save Some Money

Although it may seem obvious, saving money is essential to improving finances as a student. Start by creating a budget. Figure out fixed expenses and any interest rates, fees or taxes associated with them. Then, list out all variable expenses.

Underestimating or overestimating expenses won’t help to create a proper action plan, so try to be as accurate and detailed as possible when budgeting expenses.

After creating a budget, look for ways to save money without sacrificing quality of life. It’s surprising how many expenses can be cut down on in college.

“It’s really important to save at least a little bit in case of an emergency – like the pandemic – and having at least a savings account will be able to back you up.” – Nicholas Acciardo III, EAW student and Arizona State University graduate of Earth and environmental studies.

Saving bits of money here and there will pile up and save huge amounts in the long run.

Invest, Invest, Invest

Earning and saving money is important to financial success, but to really see finances grow, investing is key. One easy way to begin investing is to put money in a bank and earn interest, although it’s also good to set aside any extra money for additional investments, because while banking means easy access to funds, it’s also a very slow growth.

Retirement plans, such as 401(k)’s, use compound interest rates, putting only a couple of dollars into a retirement plan early on will help to grow a retirement fund immensely. Another option for those who would rather liquidate funds more easily is the stock market.

The average return on a stock investment is 10% per year, which is well beyond the interest rate of most savings accounts. However, this money isn’t guaranteed, so it’s important to research before making the leap. Ultimately, setting aside money for investments will allow growth in finances passively, creating opportunities for students to plan their retirement earlier than others.

Although the student debt crisis is an ongoing issue in need of attention, it’s important to always work on improving financial health. Life after college can be a challenging experience, but by practicing healthy money habits, any college student can get one step closer to financial freedom.

Mel Vance, Amy Price Join Leading Staffing Solutions Provider

Nonprofit Education at Work adds operations and call center experts to senior management team.

By educationworkadmin
Published on

Tempe, Ariz. — Education at Work, a U.S.-based provider of staffing solutions whose mission is to help high-achieving college students gain career-ready skills and financial stability, today announced that two industry veterans have joined its senior management team: Mel Vance as senior vice president of operations, and Amy Price as senior vice president of shared services. 

Vance joins Education at Work (EAW), an affiliate of Strada Education Network from National Asset Managers, LLC, where he most recently led the company’s business development, asset management, sales, and marketing strategy. In his new role, Vance will oversee operations and implement cost-effective systems for EAW clients and its home base while building workplace efficiency and a high-performing culture.

Vance’s approach to operational leadership stems from a 25-year career managing customer experience for global companies including FedEx, TeleTech, and Sitel. He also understands the needs of today’s adult learners through his time educating students as an adjunct business instructor at the University of Phoenix. 

“Education at Work’s organizational model is the perfect blend of responsible sourcing for business solutions,” Vance said. “I’m proud to be part of a forward-thinking leadership team, focused on building a best-in-class operations mindset, delivering value for our clients, and contributing to reducing the burden of student debt.” 

Price joins EAW from PharMerica, where she was the director of customer service, supporting the frontline medical needs for 71 pharmacies and more than 1,100 long-term care facilities nationwide. Price brings more than two decades of contact center, global consumer products, project management, and analytics experience to her new role.

She will be responsible for leading a diverse team to advance EAW’s growth in the Business Process Outsourcing industry in the newly created role of senior vice president of shared services. Building on a career spanning multiple sectors, focused on metrics and employee development, she is poised to deliver on the organization’s bold strategies to attract and retain talent to support EAW’s objective of expanding its client base over the next 18—24 months. 

“Leading shared services, supporting college student success, and accomplishing business goals is an ideal day at the office,” Price said. “As a 20-year veteran in customer experience, global consumer products, it is rare to take a bottom-line driven industry and pair it with a mission-driven organization. I am beyond excited to have the opportunity to work in my chosen industry, supporting young professionals at my alma mater (Arizona State University) and working with an esteemed and experienced leadership team at EAW. I am looking forward to what we are positioned to accomplish in the future.”

“Both Amy and Mel are leaders in the BPO space, holistically leading in-house call centers and outsourced contact centers,” said EAW President Jaime Nunez. “Our leadership team has the talent, knowledge, skill, and ability to drive performance and build a culture of belonging and engagement.”

“We are in a unique position,” Nunez said. “Our organization is at the table with major employers, universities, and funders [thanks in part to our nonprofit status]. This position creates an advantage as we understand the real-time needs of the workforce and the connection between education and employment. It makes our sourcing solutions a formidable choice — and stands out in the BPO industry. Our teams have the chance to highlight and promote our operational rigor, business intelligence, and pulse on the next generation of workers. Ultimately, these strengths lead to growing our mission and expanding corporate social responsibility of our clients.”

COVID Impact on Contact Centers

It’s been an entire year since the COVID-19 pandemic began, disrupting the way employees and companies work for potentially years to come.

By educationworkadmin
Published on

Many industries have been directly impacted by COVID-19. One of those industries effected is the BPO industry. When you think of contact centers, you imagine a multitude of people in an office taking calls all day. How could this environment thrive in the midst of a pandemic? With contact centers being the backbone of customer service, you’d be surprised to find that through turmoil and quick changes, this industry has actually come to thrive. Here’s how COVID-19 has made an impact:

When things began to shut down in March, it felt as if human connection had diminished. Contact centers revolve around connection to give you the best customer support experience possible. At the beginning of the shutdown, that connection was lost. According to an article by Wharton Magazine, a magazine focusing on networking and connections for students, a young man who desperately needed customer support after his credit card got stolen, found himself on hold for 8 hours, with no human contact.

As COVID progressed, the contact center industry began to adapt. The challenge was immense. How do you transfer all of these employees from large BPOs to their homes? Access to technology, efficient training and accessible communication. In March, at the brink of the pandemic, Education at Work was able to shift their student employees and professional staff to a work-from-home platform and make employee safety a priority.

Besides the fact that contact center employees are working from their homes, the industry has been impacted in a multitude of ways. According to Simply Contact, the number of calls will continue to increase during these unprecedented times. With the increase of stress in all areas of life, customers will be more reliant on contact centers to get them the help they need. There’s less and less in-person contact as this pandemic continues, which increases the need to contact customer service virtually, which leads to an increase in calls. With another lockdown in question, it’s easy to imagine that the call center industry will continue to be impacted in a multitude of ways, especially with the work from home platform.

There is now proof that at-home work is effective, according to the Harvard Business Review. They found during their study on working-at-home amidst this pandemic, that we are spending 12% less time drawn into large meetings and 9% more time interacting with customers and external partners. The physicality of having a center full of agents may not come back into play. We could see a shift where some employees work from home, and some in a center. According to Gartner Research, “pre-outbreak, nearly 7 in 10 (68%) customer service and support organizations worked from traditional call centers and less than 10% of staff worked from home. That is now flipped, going forward, 71% of contact centers will be remote.”

The industry has faced new challenges but it has also been positively affected. According

The main takeaway from the impact the virus has had on this industry is that even through adversity and challenges, this industry continues to thrive. BPOs have been able to send their employees home with the technology and tools for effective communication, there’s been an increased need for digital customer care, and there’s been positive outcomes in efficiency for the work-at-home platform. In the midst of a storm, contact centers have been able to readjust and reposition to continue to do what they do best, support customers in crisis when they need it most.

Getting Hired During a Pandemic

In the middle of a global pandemic, getting a job is a relief for many college students.

By educationworkadmin
Published on

Education at Work is adjusting to the needs of students getting interviewed, hired, trained, and working the job - all from home. In the middle of a global pandemic, getting a job is a relief for many college students.

A majority of college students in the workforce have been thrown into an unstable job market as the global COVID-19 pandemic reached the U.S. in early spring. Meanwhile, EAW recruitment, in Arizona, has seen a rise in applications for various EAW programs in March by 13%.

“I’m just really relieved to have a job,” says Tanner Bayles, a recently hired EAW student employee. Tanner is a junior attending Arizona State University – whose classes switched to remote learning during the spring 2020 semester.

Tanner was able to go through the EAW hiring process remotely, with the exception of an in-person orientation for equipment processing. The recruitment process includes application review, an interview over-the-phone, an in-person orientation day to pick up equipment, and remote training from home. In-person orientations have followed the CDC Guidelines for social distancing, cleanliness, and facial coverings. After orientation, Tanner started working remotely – joining all EAW students in the company’s work-from-home initiative.

A large part of the recruitment process is training – before students start on their first day, they learn all about how their systems work, how to do the job, and who to contact for assistance.

“Training was fun and interactive, it was definitely very smooth considering the abruptness and amount of planning that had to go into a short period of time,” says Justin Proudfoot, an ASU student who is about to finish his junior year and was hired at EAW in May after finding the opportunity via Handshake.

With a work-from-home initiative and remote hiring process, various EAW programs have been able to expand their recruitment pools.

According to the EAW recruitment team, there are more opportunities for students to be hired on to a specific program due to open schedules and less commuting time for the student.

"A student who may be interested in the Downtown Phoenix program, for example, because of their degree program, may not have been able to make the regular commute before,” says a recruitment representative. “That isn't necessarily the case now if everything is remote."

Justin says he saw EAW as “a really great opportunity,” in which he could earn an income from the safety of his home during the pandemic.

Training is the last stage in the recruitment process before a new-hire starts their first day.

“(Training) has been going pretty good, our last class saw 21 graduates and everyone is performing really well,” says Kayla Bangert, an EAW trainer who is looking forward to seeing her classes in person once the pandemic subsides.

“What these students are doing is really hard to do, and I applaud them,” Kayla says. “A typical, in-person class develops a kind of closeness with each other, and they’ve kept that atmosphere even with remote training.”

Justin says he continues to stay in touch with his training class even after starting the job and being assigned to a team. He says he feels more of a tightness with his class than with his production team, and his classmates lean on each other for support.

“Once it’s safe, I’m excited to go back to the center, once it’s safe for everyone,” Tanner says. “I can’t wait to meet everyone in person, but I’m so relieved I found a job where I can work safely.”

Soft Skills: A Misnomer

Soft skills. At the intersection of outstanding customer service and an energized student workforce.

By educationworkadmin
Published on

Soft skills. At the intersection of outstanding customer service and an energized student workforce; there couldn’t be a greater misnomer.  Intended or not, the term “soft” in soft skills implies that the qualitative abilities associated with soft skills are easy to get/maintain while the quantitative abilities associated with hard skills are more difficult to master. The attributes associated with soft skills: contagious enthusiasm, responsible professionalism, problem-solving creativity and –most importantly—clear communication are by no means easily earned or mastered.

Moreover, soft skills are more important today than they ever have been. As humans, we tend to go the path of most efficiency when communicating—especially when in a professional environment. The desire to get as much information across in as little space as possible lends itself to more emails and texts than phone calls or face-to-face meetings. For our digitally native workforce, who have grown-up with all of these options on the communication table, Education at Work (EAW) makes an extra effort to coach the intangible basics associated with soft skills. Why? Because EAW believes that by focusing on these core skill-sets, we are empowering students to best serve our clients in the present and themselves in the future.

A three-fold approach is the best way coach up soft-skills with a collegiate workforce. First, we directly address the specific short fall. This could range anywhere from coaching the student in a real-time side-by-side or role-playing with them in a development session. Second, we guide students to embrace the best intangible qualities by embodying those qualities. If we want our students to be enthusiastic professionals then we create an enthusiastic, professional environment. Lastly, we consistently reinforce ideal soft skills of both EAW and our business partners. Every interaction is a reminder of our expectations and values.

By focusing on soft-skills, EAW creates a workforce that goes beyond the metrics. Those students achieve a harder task by having softer skills: solve a customer’s problem on the surface level and leave those customers with a deeper sense of satisfaction. It is this dynamic that will propel our students to success in their future careers and with our current clients.

Author

Andy has been a part of the EAW team since 2014. Before EAW, he spent the majority of his career in Japan in the education and recruitment industries. In addition to his passion for reducing student debt, his greatest attraction to working for EAW is developing the business leaders of tomorrow while providing excellent results today.

 

How Customer Service Centers Prep Students for their Careers

Each student can acquire skills needed in any full-time professional setting no matter their major.

By educationworkadmin
Published on
By: Joycelyn Cabrera, EAW Student Digital Reporter

Customer service centers provide hands-on work experience and professional development for college-level students, who can take various skills with them onwards in their careers regardless of their fields of study.

Each student can acquire skills needed in any full-time professional setting no matter their major.

Hanifah Muhammad, a freshman from Arizona State University, studying biological sciences has worked for EAW as a customer service representative and technical support specialist for the past five months in partnership with a global technical support program.

“Working here doesn’t only give you technical skills that apply directly to what you’re doing, but it also gives you skills in learning how to look for information to solutions for specific problems,” says Hanifah. “Which is something I am going to need to know how to do in the future if I am going to have a career in the natural sciences. My goal is to create cures for diseases. I’m going to need to learn problem solving.”

Out of 418 Arizona State University students at EAW’s site in Arizona, countless majors and fields of study can be found – ranging from business communications to performing arts.

A 2018 report from Indeed Career Guide listed customer service representative as the sixth-best job out of 25 for college students to have part-time. According to the report, factors considered included flexibility, stress levels, and skill development.

Customer service and support centers can give a student experience in hard skills such as IT support, account management, and troubleshooting. However, these places of work also provide practical skills and professional development to students at the same time, including time management, professional conduct, and productive communication.

Niyon Pamphile, a student coach for Education at Work, says he learned a lot about time-management while on the job in a financial support and account management program. Niyon is majoring in organizational leadership and global management.

“I had two clubs I was involved in and I was working, but the issue came with the fact that I’d wait until two weeks to get these projects done, and the professor would say, ‘make sure you get this done early,’ but I thought ‘I have so much time,’ until I didn’t anymore,” Niyon says. “One of my supervisors sat me down, we created a schedule, color-coded, and categorized everything. It has definitely helped. I notice I don’t have as much stress, because I can look at the calendar and say, ‘OK, tomorrow this is what needs to get done, and if it doesn’t, here is where I can work on it the next day.”

The leadership and communication skills taught to students is hands-on and ever-evolving. William Taylor, a Student Supervisor for Education at Work, and a geography and geology major at ASU.

“There’s so many different leadership styles here. You’re going to get exposed to so many different strategies and techniques, you don’t know what kind of boss you’re going to walk into,” William says. “By moving and working with different supervisors, you’re getting exposed to different leadership styles which will help you in the work place.”

College students working as customer service representatives get real-world experience in professionalism by speaking with customers, supervisors and upper management in a controlled environment where coachings take place to support students.

Education at Work supervisors and leadership will specifically run mock interviews, resume overviews, and huddles to improve communication skills with the intention of professional development in students.

Madelyn Sugg is a junior at Arizona State University studying business communications. She is a student coach with an internship from Education at Work’s financial support and accounting management program under her belt.

“A lot of customer service skills translate across the board. There’s a level of intensity to the customer service interactions that happen, where you face a lot of de-escalation, like conflict negotiation. Even being able to hold yourself accountable to metrics – that’s the sort of thing you’ll be able to take with you in whatever industry you’ll be working,” Madelyn says.

According to records, half of all students at Education at Work in the state of Arizona have majors that are related to business communications, accounting, or technologies. The other half are inclusive of arts, psychology, sciences, and language majors, among others.

Lucas Rodriguez is an Education at Work supervisor who has been with the company for two years. Lucas says that while there is a general mix in majors and studies from the student body, he finds that the diversity in students positively impacts the learning environment while working.

“We have students from all over the country, some from different countries all together, so it’s a real opportunity to interact with different personalities, different backgrounds, and learn to be understanding of other people and how to work with people in general,” Lucas says.

Centers for customer service and support are often known for the tight-knit communities that are created among employees. One major benefit to this occurrence for students is networking. As students become tenured within the program, they get connected with supervisors, lead technicians, and upper management for the service centers, as well as for Education at Work itself.

“Networking goes as far as having off-the-cuff conversations with the president of this company,” William says. “He comes in, he’s asked me about my major, he’s asked me all these different things. Just having a conversation with somebody like that, he’s told me I could put him on my resume as a reference, and that’s huge.”

Customer service centers offer more than technical or management skills to students who are working their way through college – they offer professional building, personal growth, and improvement in communication – all of which are necessary in every career path.

4 Reasons Gen Z is Valuable in Customer Service Centers

Generation Z has been raised on technology and they have an innate understanding for how to use said technology.

By educationworkadmin
Published on

1. They understand technology like no other

Generation Z has been raised on technology and they have an innate understanding for how to use said technology. This sense of understanding allows college students, who are Gen Z, to acclimate quickly to the software used within customer service centers. Their knowledge also helps with their ability to think quickly and solve problems with the technology at hand.

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2. They’re able to offer new perspectives

Hiring Generation Z students allows for a new force of different perspectives to join your workforce. It’s important to have diversity in any organization because it allows for open discussions on how to problem solve and offers new perspectives on how to improve on skills and tactics. Their insight is extremely valuable and should not be taken lightly.

3. Students are eager to gain resume worthy skills

College students often seek opportunities that allow them to gain the foundational skills that are required for any career. Any major can benefit from the communication and teamwork skills that are provided by customer center work. Students are seeking these roles to put them ahead and make their resumes stand out.

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4. College students are seeking new experiences

On college campuses, students are often restricted by the type of work they can do. Campuses tend to be surrounded by restaurants and retail and not much else. As mentioned in reason three, students want to gain the foundational skills to help prepare them for the real world, and being in a new environment, one that customer centers often provide, allows students to get a jump start on their future careers and provide a new experience for them that gives them developmental opportunities.

Sources:

https://monetsoftware.com/the-pros-and-cons-of-hiring-college-students-as-call-center-agents/

5 Reasons Gen Z Should Work in Customer Service Centers

A common phrase that’s thrown around is “communication is key.”

By educationworkadmin
Published on
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1. You Build Foundational Skills That Apply to Any Career Field

A common phrase that’s thrown around is “communication is key.” You may hear that phrase in passing and not think much of it but it is truly essential to our lives. At the foundation of every career is the ability to communicate. Without this ability it’s almost impossible to get your message across in any capacity. Working with a team or with customers involves good communication and there is no better place to gain these foundational skills than through working at a customer service center. It’s a common feeling to be scared to talk on the phone. Working in a customer service center allows you to jump that hurdle and become a master at communication.

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2. Gain Knowledge Retention Skills

College students often empathize over the practice of cramming the night before. Students have so much going on all the time it can be hard to retain information. In a customer service center environment, you have the ability to improve on your retention skills by having to remember information given to you on the phone. This practice of knowledge retention through phone calls could help you when you start to study for your next exam. In a position like this, it is essential that you increase your ability to remember details - benefiting you in your future career and in your classes.

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3. Work Around Your Class Schedule

At EAW, the ability to work around your class schedule allows you to focus on your academic career and graduate with less debt! Working around your classes also teaches you time management and prioritization skills!

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4. Improve Your Patience

With the advancement of technology in our fast-paced society it seems almost impossible to tap into your patient mindset. It can be hard to watch a video longer than a minute or hey, read a blog post that may take a few minutes. Customer service center positions require patience, and it is a great skill to build upon as you inch closer to the real world. Being the first point of contact means you are the first to help a customer and that requires a lot of patience. You may have all the answers but the person on the other side of the call doesn’t.

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5. Spark Your Creativity

In a customer service center environment it often takes creativity to find new ways to solve a customer’s problem.  They may have a question that doesn’t have a clear answer and it’s up to you to be creative to find a solution. Suggesting alternative ideas sparks your creativity and develops your ability think on your toes.

Living our Mission by “Walking the Walk”

For an organization to be successful, it’s essential for the leadership team to live out its mission and values.

By educationworkadmin
Published on

For an organization to be successful, it’s essential for the leadership team to live out its mission and values; to not only set an example for fellow employees, but also to demonstrate to clients the company can deliver by “walking the walk”. One of the services we offer our clients is an opportunity to hire our students into their enterprises to perform mission critical work while they complete their college degrees.

In other words, we help clients build a full-time talent pipeline of graduates qualified and eager to work for our clients. Students work part-time on client sites, during college, performing jobs in a variety of departments including, finance, marketing, customer service, data analysis, back office and IT. And, it’s no different at Education at Work where students work part-time in a wide variety of jobs meant to hone their skills and prepare them to compete for their first job post-graduation. Whether supporting a client or Education at Work, students are not only learning great skills, but also covering college expenses with their wages and tax-free tuition support, up to $5,250 on an annual basis.

Just like our clients, EAW carefully selects high achieving students for internal opportunities. Our candidates often transition from customer support positions to business roles throughout EAW. Students work on average 20 hours a week, supporting the mission in IT, Business Intelligence, Marketing, Business Development, HR, and Recruiting. While working under an assigned manager, often Director-level and above, the student is assigned concrete goals, expected to meet deadlines and deliver high quality work. As the student demonstrates responsibility and ability, they move on to tackle even more complex tasks. For example, our students have delivered website pages, recruiting quotas, “hot” leads, reports used by our clients and complex IT projects. Similar to our client-site students, it is not unusual for a student to work at EAW two or more years, often up to graduation.

Post-graduation, EAW, like our clients, offers many students full-time positions within our enterprise. We have the luxury of observing the student over time, while conversely, the student has the opportunity to determine his/her fit within our organization. To-date, our staff has hired 15 former student-employees in full-time positions within 9 different departments, including Marketing, HR, Business Intelligence, IT, Operations, and Educational Outreach. We currently have a half dozen other student-employees in our talent pipeline who will be considered for future hiring.

EAW and our clients agree the benefit of this approach differs from the typical internship program, which is usually shorter in duration with little opportunity to observe behaviors and skills over a long period of time. In a nutshell the talent-pipeline model allows us to:

  • Trial the model we offer our clients internally – gathering critical data we can use to make our client programs perform at a higher level.
  • Retain top talent within our organization – these students already know our mission inside-and-out, and are able to provide an elevated level of support to incoming students and overall EAW programming.
  • Enjoy the benefits of peer-to-peer development. Former student-employees on our full-time staff mentor current student-employees to bring our mission full circle.

A program such as this, produces a robust full-time talent pipeline while supporting hiring needs through a pool of educated, diverse, job tested students. It taps into the 70% of college students who need to work to help pay for their education, and connects the academic experience with a workplace experience. The final result is a much smoother transition from a part-time role while in school to a full-time career post-graduation. For EAW’s team, leveraging our own solution is incredibly important for our long-term success. We are not just selling this business model to our clients, we are practicing what we “preach”. Our own validation makes it easier to “sell” to a client, because we have proof points internally as well as externally.

 

Soft Skills: A Misnomer

Soft skills. At the intersection of outstanding customer service and an energized student workforce; there couldn’t be a greater misnomer.

By educationworkadmin
Published on

Soft skills. At the intersection of outstanding customer service and an energized student workforce; there couldn’t be a greater misnomer.  Intended or not, the term “soft” in soft skills implies that the qualitative abilities associated with soft skills are easy to get/maintain while the quantitative abilities associated with hard skills are more difficult to master. The attributes associated with soft skills: contagious enthusiasm, responsible professionalism, problem-solving creativity and –most importantly—clear communication are by no means easily earned or mastered.

Moreover, soft skills are more important today than they ever have been. As humans, we tend to go the path of most efficiency when communicating—especially when in a professional environment. The desire to get as much information across in as little space as possible lends itself to more emails and texts than phone calls or face-to-face meetings. For our digitally native workforce, who have grown-up with all of these options on the communication table, Education at Work (EAW) makes an extra effort to coach the intangible basics associated with soft skills. Why? Because EAW believes that by focusing on these core skill-sets, we are empowering students to best serve our clients in the present and themselves in the future.

A three-fold approach is the best way coach up soft-skills with a collegiate workforce. First, we directly address the specific short fall. This could range anywhere from coaching the student in a real-time side-by-side or role-playing with them in a development session. Second, we guide students to embrace the best intangible qualities by embodying those qualities. If we want our students to be enthusiastic professionals then we create an enthusiastic, professional environment. Lastly, we consistently reinforce ideal soft skills of both EAW and our business partners. Every interaction is a reminder of our expectations and values.

By focusing on soft-skills, EAW creates a workforce that goes beyond the metrics. Those students achieve a harder task by having softer skills: solve a customer’s problem on the surface level and leave those customers with a deeper sense of satisfaction. It is this dynamic that will propel our students to success in their future careers and with our current clients.

Author:

Andrew Clark, Education at Work

Andy Clark | Program Manager, Education at Work

Andy, a Xavier University alumnus, has been a part of the EAW team since 2014. Before EAW, he spent the majority of his career in Japan in the education and recruitment industries. In addition to his passion for reducing student debt, his greatest attraction to working for EAW is developing the business leaders of tomorrow while providing excellent results today.

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