Verizon’s Total Wireless announced earlier this week the debut of its first-ever social impact program from the Verizon Value portfolio, Total Spark. As with all social programs, Total Spark is specifically designed to support a certain category of customers, which in this case is working students.
Whether they’re students working full-time and going to school at night, or part-time students going for additional training, Total Spark is supposed to make their lives easier when it comes finding jobs that they’re prepared for.
Many of the social program’s features have been tailored after Total Wireless commissioned a custom survey of more than 1,000 US adult students to try and learn about the true needs of working students across the country. Here is what the survey found:
A third (32%) of working students have a job to support their families. Additionally, one-third (32%) of working students rely on government subsidy programs to get by, and a large majority (89%) working students have student loans.
Nearly three quarters (73%) of working students wish they had additional support to help them with pursuing a career. Career mentorship was indicated as the most useful support service for all students.
Only 1 in 10 working students strongly agree that they have adequate free time. Time is short for many, as unaided, general time management is the number one obstacle among working students.
Mobile phones are seen as an essential tool for staying connected by a large majority of working students (90%). This is especially true for students who work full-time, who indicate they rely on mobile phones to stay connected for work and for job searching.
In order to make Total Spark as effective as possible, the MVNO has partnered with Empower Work, a nonprofit organization that supports programs that aim to address each of the issues revealed in the survey.
Total Wireless and Empower Work identified five nonprofit organizations in Chicago, Dallas, and Detroit to receive grants between $50,000 - $150,000. These grants are meant to fund existing community-oriented programs supporting working students, including job training, skill development, job placement, and career advancement.
If you’re a working student living in one of the three cities mentioned, here are the nonprofit organizations that are receiving the grants from Total Spark:
Chicago, IL
The Jane Adams Resource Corporation
LIFT-Chicago
Dallas, TX
The Wilkinson Center
Detroit, MI
NPower Michigan
TechTown Detroit
Working students are invited at the Summer Career Fair in Chicago | Image credit: Total Wireless
To celebrate the launch of its social program, Total Wireless will host a “Career Spark” Fair in Chicago on June 27 near Wicker Park. Stations at the fair will be focused on student well-being and career growth and include tips and resources to manage work/life balance, short and long term career opportunities, community resources for Total’s nonprofit partners and Total Spark grant recipients, a headshot station, lots of Total swag, and more. Those interested in attending the event may reserve a spot by signing up here.
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Cosmin, a tech journalist with a career spanning over a decade, brings a wealth of experience to PhoneArena. His expertise lies in brands like Samsung and Nokia, and he has a keen interest in innovative technologies. After a brief stint in PR, Cosmin returned to tech journalism in 2016, committed to delivering clear and objective news. When he's not writing or appearing as a guest on TV and radio shows, Cosmin enjoys playing RPGs, watching Netflix, and nurturing his passion for history and travel.
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