The mission
Work+ is designed by University College on the premise that work and learning should be better integrated. Driven by ASU's Charter, Work+ elevates student employment and believes student employees are more than student employees -- they are working learners. When students engage with their work in a way that aligns with their post-graduation career goals, their job position provides a life-transformative education; with Work+, working learners develop identity, agency and purpose, all while they are on the job.
Work+ builds a template for the merging of work and learning realms by:
The opportunity
<50%
Less than half of college graduates succeed in finding purposeful work (Gallup)
11%
Only 11 percent of business leaders strongly agreed that college graduates have the skills employers need (Gallup)
7/10
7 out of 10 ASU students work while at school
NACE competencies
Whether you’re a graphic design intern, research assistant, barista, or front desk aide, your job experience will generally benefit from set of crucial professional skills. Work+ utilizes career competencies as highlighted by the National Association Colleges and Employers (NACE), has built modules to help you develop them. (Source: NACE)
Storytelling
It turns out that simply asking students and professionals to briefly reflect on what they’d just learned results in better performance over time. Taking time to breathe between projects helps students learn from mistakes and recognize strengths and weaknesses.
Where the power of learning is the action of doing the activity, reflection’s power is in the action of articulating thoughts. In Work+, you create your Professional Story: a narrative of work-related experiences and short reflections to help you realize who you are, what your goals are and how you can contribute to the wider world.
