Work-based learning programs such as internships, co-ops, and project-based employment offer multiple benefits to students, helping them make connections between the skills they learn in courses and what they could eventually do in the workforce. 

They also connect students with potential employers, and allow recruiters to identify potential talent. But while many institutions have these programs, how can leaders tell if they are equitable?

When students struggle to meet their basic needs, learning becomes more challenging, and they are less likely to complete their education. 

A new report, released today from the Center for Community College Student Engagement at the University of Texas at Austin, provides an in-depth look at how food and housing struggles played out among an often-vulnerable population in higher education—community college students—during some of the toughest months of the pandemic.