College is changing.
It used to be you would go to school then get a job, but now students are combining the two.
According to a study by Georgetown University, "The New Normal" is students who are more and more like "Working Learners" - they earn while they learn and learn while they earn.
At Augustana College's CORE (Careers, Opportunities, Research, Exploration) Center, students are encouraged to add extra-curricular activities and job experience to their course load. That job can include an internship, but also a variety of on-campus jobs that have nothing to do with a student's major - like admissions, dining services, facilities, athletics, etc.
"Jobs on campus are a gateway to the first professional job," explained Dr. Michael Edmondson, Associate Vice President for Career Development at Augustana. "People say you have to work a job that relates to your future. Well, we don't even know what jobs are going to exist in the future so I'd rather you just work a job that develops your soft skills because even research will tell you it's the soft skills that's going to get you a job in any field."
"Soft skills" include communication, teamwork, problem solving, conflict resolution, and even things like dressing appropriately and timeliness. Dr. Edmondson said soft skills are becoming just as important as technical qualifications.
"You can learn technical skills and they evolve over time, but soft skills are going to stay with you throughout your entire life," he said. "It's no longer just about getting the degree - it's the degree, your skill set, and your ability to communicate that value and so what Augustana has done is placed a renewed commitment on enhancing a student's preparation."
"We're preparing them for their first job as well as their last job."
The study also finds that early work experience forms good habits and helps students make career connections. The authors of the study suggest that high education institutions pay more attention to connecting college to career and helping their students make the connection. To read more of the study, click here.