Juggling work and school: Stories of grit and growth
Taking on jobs while studying has been a proven, though challenging, way to avoid quitting school amid financial difficulties. It became mainstream with the rise of the fast-food industry in the 1980s, and it was even considered cool when you were hired by popular chains.
Working students have also found other motivations aside from overcoming economic hardships. They could be saving up for something or aiming for a head start in the workforce.
In Gen X-er Karla Pambid’s case, in 1992, she applied for work at McDonald’s while studying architecture at the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM) because she was heartbroken. She didn’t only recover from her first heartbreak over the course of her employment, but also learned invaluable lessons that helped her establish a career in her true calling. Now she wears various hats in the entertainment industry as an actress, acting coach, production manager, line producer, and assistant director.
“It wasn’t easy being a working student,” recalls the former service crew at the chain’s Katipunan branch. “There were times I had to take a bath in the store. I brought my 36-inch T-square portable drawing board and other drawing materials with me. I’d sleep in transit. At the time, it took at least two hours to get to PLM.”
The Cinemalaya best supporting actress (“Donor,” 2010) shares, “The experience taught me how to deal with different kinds of people, of all ages and moods. It taught me how to manage my time. I also honed my management skills and gained knowledge in government stuff like filing taxes and applying for a driver’s license and a PhilHealth card.”
Opportunities
As technology developed and the business process outsourcing industry grew exponentially in the past decades, more opportunities were created for students who wanted or needed to work while still studying. Gen Z-er Ariel Beglilio Dome, for one, has been a working student since age 12. Today, he’s a third-year BS Geography student at the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman who accepts freelance cartography projects for thesis requirements and other purposes.
“Being a working student isn’t something I’d ever glamorize,” he says. “It’s not easy, and it never was. You wake up tired, and you go to bed even more tired. There are days when everything piles up—school deadlines, work responsibilities, personal struggles—and it feels like you’re carrying the weight of the world.”
He hastens to add, though, “Even with all that, I get up. I keep going because I have dreams to fulfill. I want my life to be meaningful. I’ve learned how to be strong even when I feel like breaking. I’ve learned to embrace the sacrifices, not because I wanted to, but because I had to.”
Issues that working students face are highlighted in a February 2025 survey conducted by the data forensics company Nerve in partnership with Mapúa Malayan Digital College (MMDC). Not having enough time to balance work and studies is a top challenge for 56 percent of the respondents.
As for what kind of support they needed, 75 percent of those surveyed cited flexible schedules, and 52 percent went for online/hybrid learning, while 86 percent expressed eagerness to upskill.
The survey was made in connection with MMCD’s “Step Up Sa Pangarap” movement, which spearheaded the first-ever National Working Students Day held on March 21. On that day, twin events took place in Makati City and Bacolod City.
Working Students Day
Honoring working students is strongly advocated in the digital college as they make up the majority of the population, says MMDC vice president Jenny Chua. That’s why they linked up with like-minded organizations that also provide a supportive and friendly environment for working students.
McDonald’s Philippines assistant vice president Adi Timbol-Hernandez says their working students are “directly hired, not contractual,” and they get to “climb the ladder” over the years.
She adds that aside from government-mandated benefits, their working students get other company benefits. Work shifts are also planned around their schedules, while branch assignments are made in consideration of proximity to either their home or school.
For those in the same boat as Dome, which he describes as “studying and working just to stay afloat,” he has this to say: “Your pain is real, but so is your strength. You’re not weak for struggling. You’re human. And every time you choose to show up, even when it’s hard, you’re already winning.”
The UP student and freelance cartographer stresses, “Rest when you need to. Ask for help when you need it. There’s no shame in fighting for your dreams, even if the fight is messy and slow. Keep going. One day, all this will make sense. And when that day comes, you’ll look back and be proud-not just of what you’ve achieved, but of who you became along the way.”
