Work colleges are federally funded, accredited four-year, liberal arts colleges where students study academics as well as participate in experiential learning through work and service to reduce the cost of their education and gain work experience.
Not surprisingly, the defining characteristics of Work Colleges are work and service to others. These activities are not optional. All residential students are required to work. Most students at Work Colleges work on campus where work brings everyone together by connecting individual work contribution to the greater community in which students learn, work, and live.
On-campus jobs require different skill sets. No matter what their work assignment, as they learn skills, students also develop understanding, empathy, and insight into how important it is to respect and appreciate the dignity of workers and how work itself is a service to the community.
A guide to work colleges outlines the benefits of attending a work college:
- Reduced debt: students earn a college degree and through their work contribute to the cost of tuition.
- Hands-on involvement: the total education experience requires participation. Competition for campus jobs with increased responsibility are merit-based, just like the working world.
- Constructive advice: continuing support and work evaluation is an integral part of the program and directly prepares students for a career.
- Skill development: graduates have learned the skills that are in most demand from employers. Students are:
- Problem solvers
- Effective time managers
- Service oriented
- Experienced leaders
- Good communicators
- Adaptable and resilient
- Comfortable working in diverse environments
Case Study: Paul Quinn College, Dallas Texas
Paul Quinn College is part of the Work Colleges Consortium and bills itself as the “World’s First Urban Work College.” Developing this kind of education model led Paul Quinn to become the ninth federally designated Work College in the country and the first urban work college; the first HBCU and Minority Serving Institution to be recognized as a Work College; and Work College in Texas.
The mission of the college is to provide a quality, faith-based education that addresses the academic, social, and Christian development of students and prepares them to be servant leaders and agents of change in the global marketplace. Students gain real-world experience and graduate in four years with less than $10,000 in student debt.
According to education expert Tom Vander Ark, the Paul Quinn program links “project-based learning, experiential learning, and a pragmatic approach to the liberal arts,” that requires more “reasoning, speaking, and writing across the curriculum.”
School leaders have created partnerships with foundations and employer sponsorships that break the mold of traditional higher education options. One new program allows students to choose two family members or friends to enroll with them if the student has a 3.0 average and qualifies for federal aid. This innovative program’s goal is to change the family’s financial situation “while removing a bit of pressure from a first-generation college student and increasing the odds of success together while working toward a certificate or degree.”
Paul Quinn College exemplifies the Work-Learning-Service model of the members of the Work Colleges Consortium. Each of the schools in the consortium have different missions, models, and areas of study, but they value their diversity and the opportunity to learn from one another. The majority of graduates from these colleges believe their college experience better prepared them for their careers than their peers. Although the work-learning-service model is not new, it has been updated and refreshed to that students are prepared for career and leadership roles.
All Work Colleges are approved and overseen by the U.S. Department of Education and must meet specific federal regulations for operation.