Studying While Working: A Modern Day Challenge
Being a young adult nowadays has its challenges: you want to be an independent person and earn your living. You also need a ton of work related experience to get into a good company that will pay you for your work and time, and will also challenge you to become a great professional with the skills you learn along the way.
This could be the story of thousands of us around the world, but it’s particularly my story: how I managed to continue my undergrad studies, while working full time for a global, distributed tech company.
My background is quite different from what you’d expect from working here. I am a photographer, and am currently finishing my Literature Studies at the National University of Colombia. Since this is my professional degree, and I have yet to finish, I was quite worried when looking for jobs a couple of years ago. Who on earth would hire me if I didn’t have enough work experience? Call center jobs are everywhere in Colombia, and I am sure in other countries too, but they wouldn’t have allowed me to continue studying while maintaining a healthy balance between work and personal life. If I am honest, my job hunt seemed a little pessimistic.
To my surprise, I got hired through a work offer posted by one of my close friends who happened to be working at Bunny Inc. by that time. I thought I wasn’t going to lose anything by trying out my chances with this job opening, and so I applied. In the meantime, I was studying at uni, finishing another semester, and growing closer to getting my degree. However, my worries increased as well. I was at this crossroads where I had to choose between my academic career or to get a job that would allow me to be independent. Sometimes, life puts two options in front of you and you have to choose. You take a leap of faith. Make it or break it.
It all went well, though! I found myself working at a company that was different from what I was used to. Working remotely was surprising for me right away, because we’ve been taught to devote all of our time to either study or work. There’s usually little time in corporate life to pursue one’s interests and goals.
Here, though, I have had the chance to continue my studies while I work. My colleagues and teammates have been absolutely supportive of me going to uni. I have the chance to arrange my shifts with my team and can also work from home when I have my classes, since it’s closer to my uni. I often think that my degree will be, in the end, a team effort, like the projects we work in on a daily basis.
My team expresses interest when finals are starting and I am swimming through a sea of essays and readings, all of this while having time to improve professionally, both at Bunny Inc. and in my own career path. I have discovered that while what we do at Bunny Inc. may not be directly related to literature on its own, the skills I’ve learned along the way will definitely help me in the path of being a better professional in my area of proficiency. Through writing this article, I am improving my copywriting, proofreading, and editing abilities for example!
So, to summarize, how can companies in our modern times support their student workforce?
- By providing them with the space to tend to their academic obligations.
- By asking them about their performance in the courses they’re working on. Showing this kind of interest is valuable and uplifting.
- By having an open and honest conversation about their academic aspirations. How can both company and worker mutually benefit?
- By talking to their workers about their mental health and making sure they have the space to take a pause and recharge batteries.
- By cheering for them! Working on an undergraduate or graduate degree is no easy task. Any and all support is so valuable.
Having the chance to build up your professional life while you’re still pursuing an academic degree is definitely a positive thing, both for companies and for workers. I hope companies will continue giving these spaces to their employees. In this way, they are helping them pursue more fulfilling careers and lead more rewarding lives
