When students are selected for Work Study positions, they work part-time alongside Peirce faculty and staff members who are eager to assist in their professional development. This opportunity is a great way to combine what you are learning in your degree program with valuable on-the-job experience – plus, you are able to cultivate strong professional relationships with your supervisors, faculty, staff and even fellow Work Study students.
Don’t just take my word for it, though: meet one of our Work Study students who shares her story of personal growth within the Work Study program at Peirce College.
After graduating from the Community College of Philadelphia, Nazia Bibi knew she wanted to continue on with her educational journey to earn her bachelor’s degree. When deciding to take on this next step, she looked around the Philadelphia area and found a school that would not only fit the style she needed, but would accept just about all of her credits. This would allow her to learn in the environment she desired while earning her degree in the most efficient way possible.That school was Peirce College. “Peirce not only took the largest quantity of my credits, but they offered Peirce Fit® where I could have the flexibility to take class online or on-campus each week. This combination was exactly what I was looking for.”
Nazia began her journey at Peirce in Fall of 2016 when she enrolled in the Bachelor of Science in Information Technology program. She knew this program and this career path was for her when she encountered a personal experience that led her to where she is now.
“My father was a victim of an online scam. We had to make phone calls and figure out what was going on to solve the issue,” explained Nazia. “This is when I knew I wanted to learn more about this industry, so I could assist in stopping this type of privacy invasion.”
So far during Nazia’s time at Peirce, she has been able to obtain knowledge she had never even heard of before. “Some classes I entered, I knew nothing about the topic at hand. But by the end of the course, I had learned so much and gained new perspectives I would have missed out on without the class.”
As Nazia began learning all about the Information Technology world, she knew she wanted to find a way to better fund her education and gain workforce experience. That is when Nazia began doing her research around the student portal and came across information on the Work Study program.
“I knew I would need to pay for college somehow and the Work Study program at Peirce allowed for me to earn money while gaining real experience. Since the opportunity is part-time, it gave me a great way to balance both work and school,” said Nazia.
Nazia is the Work Study for three different departments in one central location: Admissions, Student Financial Services, and Marketing and Communications. Through this exposure she is able to learn about many different techniques, projects and assignments.
Nazia said, “I have learned so much during my Work Study experience. Most projects I had to learn from scratch, but it was a great challenge to be exposed to. Every day I am still learning new things and continue to work on better developing my skill set.”For those students who may be considering a Work Study position, Nazia encourages everyone to do so, but to take the proper steps first. She said, “Talk to Career Development Services. They really helped me develop and organize my resume and prepare to take on this position. I was so nervous at first when looking into this opportunity, but Career Development Services helped me conquer my fears and land this wonderful experience.”
If you or someone you know is interested in taking part in the Work Study program, please visit our Work Study page or contact Career Development Services at 215.670.9202 or cds@peirce.edu. To apply for a Work Study position, please visit peirce.edu/workstudy.
