CONCLUSION
Hopefully this article series on the “Elements of an Effective Student Worker Program” demonstrates that hiring student workers can be mutually beneficial on multiple levels in terms of program development, new ideas, creativity, and overall better customer service. This combined with renewed energy and enthusiasm >>> flying into existing programs and with implementation of new programs. As part of this experience, you will be mentoring a student worker and facilitating the growth of a young professional. In many cases, you will also be sharing similar opportunities and support that you received when you were a young professional and which contributed to your own success.
There are obvious financial benefits given student labor does not carry the same benefits expenses as full-time or part-time staff. At the same time, there is also the potential to hire some highly qualified student workers for substantially less than you would pay for a staff member with the same knowledge and/or qualifications. This highlights the importance of supervisors viewing their student workers as potential future staff members and making the necessary investment in time spent mentoring and training them a priority.
There are substantial personal and professional growth benefits for both the student worker and the supervisor. When implemented properly, an Effective Student Worker Program obviously benefits the student worker in multiple ways as this article series has discussed. However, as the weeks, months, and years go by, and new student workers are hired and graduate, it can be easy for supervisors to forget about some of the benefits they receive from hiring student workers. When supervisors contribute to the growth of their student workers (and staff), by default, they are contributing to their own growth too. This is because supervising student workers has some unique challenges compared to supervising staff members. However, the challenges are really growth opportunities for the supervisor and student worker. As a supervisor, it is an incredibly rewarding experience watching a student worker (and staff) excel and achieve things they may not have thought possible. By doing so, you are developing and supporting future leaders in whatever career field they choose to pursue.
Personally, I've always held the belief that it really is both an honor and a privilege to be in a position to hire and supervise student workers. I find great satisfaction and happiness being able to contribute to the growth of student workers…those young professionals…and trying to give them opportunities that could make a difference in their lives…and to play a small part in the success in their careers. I do believe that most supervisors of student workers come to these same conclusions at some point, however, it can take years or decades to go by before some supervisors truly appreciate the positive impact they have had on their student workers’ lives. The sooner supervisors of student workers recognize and appreciate this fact, the more successful the student worker program becomes…both personally and professionally.
Even after all of these years, I still find it amazing when I think about my former student workers and say to myself…wow…I've known this person for 10, 20, or 30 years and look at all of the amazing things they have accomplished since they started out as a student worker. It is truly something to be appreciated and recognized by supervisors of student workers. It is not at all unusual for supervisors and their student workers to cultivate and maintain life-long friendships. I have plenty of examples of my own former supervisors and my former student workers who I am very proud to call friends and upon whom I still remain in contact with today.
In conclusion, one of the main drivers for writing this series on “Elements of an Effective Student Worker Program” was about keeping a personal commitment I made to myself when I first became a student worker. I made a commitment to myself that I would hire student workers whenever I was in a position to do so, try to contribute to the growth of those young professionals, and try to give them whatever advice and opportunities I could in order to help them be successful in their careers. Hopefully this article series encourages more supervisors to take advantage of the benefits of hiring student workers. I also hope I have convinced supervisors to be conscious about their mindset when supervising student workers for both of your benefit. Finally, I hope supervisors reading this article series commit themselves to both sharing the information contained in this article series, and more importantly, putting these concepts into practice by hiring some student workers.
