ABOUT

Member colleges

Work learning service

Resources

  • The Work Colleges Consortium
    CPO 2163
    Berea, KY 40404
  • info@workcolleges.org
  • 859-985-3156
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WE ARE
UNIFIED BY
PURPOSE
The Work Colleges Consortium is a group of distinctive student-centered liberal arts colleges promoting the purposeful integration of Work-Learning-Service while helping to reduce the cost of education.
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WE ARE
PROBLEM
SOLVERS
The Work Colleges Consortium is a group of distinctive student-centered liberal arts colleges promoting the purposeful integration of Work-Learning-Service while helping to reduce the cost of education.
WATCH THE VIDEO
WE ARE
GOAL
DIRECTED
The Work Colleges Consortium is a group of distinctive student-centered liberal arts colleges promoting the purposeful integration of Work-Learning-Service while helping to reduce the cost of education.
WATCH THE VIDEO

WORK COLLEGES AT A GLANCE

It is not hard to philosophically grasp the Work College model. It’s a unique melding of work, learning, and service – where learning is paramount and work enhances and supports the educational program. Through their work assignments, students quickly become aware of how their jobs contribute to and support the overall community.

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WORK PROGRAM BASICS

Key Elements for Program Implementation

Work-learning-service is a stated part of the institution’s educational philosophy and program.
All resident students and one-half of all full-time enrolled students must work.
Students must work a minimum of 80 hours each semester.
Students work at on-campus or off-campus jobs, which helps to reduce the cost of their education.
Students must be trained on a regular basis; students must be paid for work performed and student work performance must be evaluated.
A record of work performance must be a part of the student college record.
Work Colleges are expected to provide programmatic leadership by college personnel for the comprehensive work-learning-service-program that is comparable to a traditional academic program.
Faculty and Staff serve as work supervisors.
There are consequences for non-performance or failure in the work-learning-service program that parallel consequences for non-performance in a regular academic program.
Infrastructure should be put in place to effectively manage the work program which includes tracking student hours, evaluating student work, and maintaining a record of work performance.
Federal compliance for a Work College program includes Federal Work-Study Regulations, Work College Program Regulations, and the Fair Labor Standards Act.
The Federal Work-Study Program provides the operational and regulatory underlayment for the Work Colleges Program. The Work Colleges regulatory requirements are an overlay to federal work study allowing for more flexibility in the use of funds and requiring additional institutional infrastructure and oversight.

WORK COLLEGE GRADUATES ARE

  • Problem solvers
  • Effective time managers
  • Goal directed
  • Respectful and value others' opinions
  • Experienced leaders
  • Attentive to detail
  • Adaptive and resilient
  • Responsible and punctual
  • Appreciative of the value and dignity of all types of work
  • Accepting of constructive criticism
  • Comfortable working alongside others
  • Good communicators

WORK COLLEGES
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