Work-study student Sania Mabahozo Aline, right, is interning with Akilah’s Academics Department.

More than two dozen Akilah students are gaining work experience and supplementing their income through Akilah’s new work-study program. Akilah launched the program earlier this year thanks to the generous support of Debbie McLeod and the Grant Me The Wisdom Foundation.

“We have always had students who are excited, determined, and interested in interning while pursuing their studies,” explains Natasha Sukiranya, Akilah’s Talent & HR Manager. “We sought to develop a work-study program that is beneficial to both students and the organization,” she adds.

Natasha worked with Akilah’s faculty and staff to create roles based on each department’s needs. Students then had the opportunity to apply for a wide variety of positions, ranging from social media intern to operations fellow to web development assistant. Akilah received 250 applications for the program and ultimately selected 25 work-study students based on their academic performance, application, and interview.

A learning opportunity

For Sania Mabahozo Aline (IS ’18), a work-study intern in the Academic Department, the decision to apply was an easy one. “As a student, I noticed that the Academic Director and instructors are always busy, and I wanted to know more about what their day looks like. When I heard about the work-study program, I immediately applied to work in the Academics Department,” she says. “I wanted to improve my knowledge and experience in working with instructors … I did not know what they go through to deliver an excellent classroom experience, so I wanted to learn more.”

“My goal is to become an IT consultant. I am positive that I am on the right track toward my career goals, given the exposure I’ve had to a professional workplace.”

For her first task, Sania’s supervisor asked her to explore Prime Timetable, a school scheduling software, to determine how faculty could use it to schedule class time more efficiently. “I am passionate about software development, and I discovered the capabilities of the software and how it works. I was excited to help faculty use it so they will be able to concentrate on other tasks,” Sonia says of her work.

In addition to her work with Prime Timetable, Sania oversees the class representatives, takes minutes during all academic meetings, and supports the academic team in building and maintaining classroom culture. “My goal is to become an IT consultant. I am positive that I am on the right track toward my career goals, given the exposure I’ve had to a professional workplace,” she says.

Real-world experience

The program focuses heavily on giving students real-world experience. Participants are assigned projects and measured on performance — just as they would be in the workplace.

Isabelle Niyonizera (IS ’18), an intern in the Human Resources Department, manages her fellow work-study students and also helps with filing employment documents. She says her role in human resources has improved her people-management and communication skills. “The skills I am acquiring will help me in my career because IT involves working with different people and solving their problems in a calm and efficient way,” she explains.

Isabelle Niyonizera says her experience working with Akilah’s Human Resources Department has improved her people-management and communication skills.

Earning an income

The program also enables students to cover their expenses while at school. Isabelle uses her income to pay for transport and her student loan fee.

Natasha adds that the additional funds can relieve some of the stress on families who are concerned about covering both tuition and their daughter’s day-to-day expenses.

An early success

The program has proven popular with students and staff alike. “A lot of our students have what it takes to be successful in their careers. I am impressed with how they approach things professionally and how fast they are growing,” Natasha says.

The program’s success is due in large part to Debbie McLeod, who devoted both her time and resources to launch the work-study program. “Debbie played a key role in the planning and implementation and helped us deliver a successful first phase of this project,” Natasha says.

Natasha sees the program as a natural extension of Akilah’s mission to connect graduates with meaningful careers. “The program requires students to set goals on what they would like to learn, deliver results, write reports, and manage their time. It gives students a chance to gain experience and prepare for the workforce,” she says. “Creating these opportunities is the most exciting part of my job.”