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Contact the Bridge to Hope coordinator for your campus to schedule an initial appointment. Ask about your campus’s referral and hiring process for BTH employment.

You should complete the BTH New Participant Form before your appointment. Your campus contact can explain the next steps for student employment.

No. BTH is a voluntary program. If you are already meeting your work requirements and your employment works well with your school schedule, that may be a good option for you.

If your current job interferes with your class schedule or requires more hours than needed for First-to-Work, you may want to consider on-campus BTH employment.

All First-to-Work participants enrolled at a University of Hawaiʻi campus are encouraged to contact their BTH campus coordinator if they experience difficulties related to school, work, or First-to-Work requirements.

If you have been referred to First-to-Work and are currently meeting your work requirements, you may be able to self-refer to the First-to-Work office nearest you. Contact the FTW office directly for guidance on next steps.

Bridge to Hope provides funding for on-campus student employment. Available positions depend on campus needs and the skills of the student.

While BTH provides the funding, site supervisors are responsible for training, supervision, and setting work expectations consistent with other student employees.

Many positions are student assistant jobs involving clerical or office support. Some campuses may offer positions more directly related to a student’s field of study.

BTH cannot guarantee a work placement related to a student’s academic interests. If you identify a placement aligned with your interests, discuss it with your BTH campus contact.

Bridge to Hope employment is student employment. Pay is determined according to the University of Hawaiʻi student employment pay schedule and is based on the type of work being performed and the skills required for the position.

If a student is unable to pursue education under Vocational Education Training or Job Skills Training, this may be another option to discuss with a case manager. VET and JST must be used before pursuing this option.

Students must be enrolled full time and complete a minimum amount of paid employment to meet the 20-hour requirement. For example, if you are enrolled full time for 12 credits, you would need 8 hours of paid employment to meet First-to-Work’s 20-hour-per-week requirement.

The general calculation is: Classroom Hours + Paid Employment = 20 hours. There is a minimum requirement of 4 hours of paid employment per week.

No. Required work hours depend on whether one or both adults in the household are required to work. Contact your First-to-Work case manager for household-specific requirements.

If you are using Job Skills Training, you will need to work 20 hours per week. Your 15 classroom hours count toward your 32 weekly hours.

If you are using VET, which is limited to 12 months, your 15 hours of class plus 15 hours of study hall equal 30 hours total. In that case, you would need a minimum of 2 additional work hours per week.

Yes. Supervised volunteer work and paid employment are both considered core activities. Volunteer work must be arranged with First-to-Work and verified by a supervisor’s signature.

Classroom contact hours are the actual amount of time you are scheduled to be in class. This is related to credit hours, but it may be greater.

For example, if you are enrolled in a 1-credit lab that meets for 3 hours per week, your classroom contact hours are 3, not 1. You would count the 3 hours of class time toward your weekly activity requirement.

At the University of Hawaiʻi, 12 credits during the regular academic year is generally considered full-time for undergraduate students. During summer sessions, full-time status may vary by campus.

Ultimately, the educational institution and academic program determine what is considered full-time enrollment.

Once your credit load falls below 12 credits, you are no longer considered a full-time student. This means your work requirement may increase to 32 hours per week, and you may no longer be eligible for Bridge to Hope employment.

Dropping below full-time enrollment may also affect your financial aid. Speak with your BTH campus contact and case manager before making changes to your schedule.

Count the actual internship hours plus any classroom contact hours. If your internship requires 10 hours per week, count those 10 hours rather than only the 3 credits.

Volunteer hours connected to a course may count only if they are required in the course syllabus, not optional or extra credit. Practicum hours required for degree programs may also count toward work activities.

If you are in a program with extensive practicum requirements, contact BTH at (808) 956-9313 for help coordinating school and work hours.

BTH employment is available to help meet the 20 core work hours. Students who do not need the full 20 hours are encouraged to work only the hours needed to meet First-to-Work requirements.

Student parents are encouraged to balance employment, study time, and family commitments carefully.

Pay dates are the 5th and 20th of each month. If either date falls on a weekend, payment is issued on the previous workday.

Student employment payroll is delayed by approximately 4 weeks. Your first paycheck may take 6 to 8 weeks from your initial date of hire.

If you did not submit your timesheet by the required deadline, it may be held and combined with the next payroll period.

When timesheets are combined, the total number of hours worked is combined for payroll purposes and may not be separated by pay period for your First-to-Work caseworker.

Keep a copy of your timesheet for your own records and reporting needs.

ÌÇÐÄÊÓƵ uses an online timesheet system. Timesheets are due twice each month: on the 15th and on the last day of the month.

Because payroll, BTH, First-to-Work, and DHS may use payroll information for related reporting requirements, it is very important that timesheets are submitted accurately and on schedule.

First-to-Work expects students to substitute or increase paid employment or volunteer hours during academic breaks.

If you do not have access to childcare and cannot achieve 32 hours per week, this may qualify as good cause for not meeting the full number of required hours.

Childcare reimbursement is calculated separately and is based on approved activity hours. Your childcare subsidy may be reduced if monthly work and activity hours do not meet requirements.

Discuss this with your First-to-Work case manager. You may be able to set up a volunteer placement during winter break.

If you are going to volunteer, try to find an opportunity that supports your career interests or benefits your child’s school or community.

If your worksite is unavailable, contact your BTH campus coordinator to discuss options.

Work requirements and childcare reimbursements are related, but they are calculated separately.

You may have good cause for not working, but childcare reimbursement is still based on the actual number of approved activity hours completed during the month.

If you are having difficulty in a course, speak with your instructor and your Bridge to Hope campus contact before deciding to drop the class. Tutoring or other support services may be available.

If you drop a class and fall below full-time enrollment, your work requirement may increase to 32 hours per week. That may leave you with less time for coursework and could negatively affect your remaining classes.