Pursue an active earn-and-learn program
Graduating from college is not a guaranteed path to a career, and despite having talent and ambition, individuals who live below the NPPS often have additional challenges to pursuing career pathways.
Level the playing field by providing cooperative education programs and working with local employers to offer paid internships.
To get started:
Identify a wide array of opportunities by collaborating with other sectors (e.g., business, nonprofit organizations, etc.) to increase co-op and paid internship offerings.
Provide support such as transportation assistance, access to professional attire, and faculty advisement.
Promote opportunities to middle and high school students to help them plan their educational paths at an early age.
Best Practices / Innovative Programs
93% of Northeastern University graduates are employed or enrolled in graduate school nine months after graduation! Northeastern's Co-op program requires students to learn resume writing, interviewing skills, and workplace etiquette during their sophomore year.
Georgia Tech offers an optional five-year co-op program where students alternate semesters between working full-time and taking classes. Students typically earn $8,000 - $10,000 per work term and pay no tuition for the 12-hour co-op course.