Walmart this week unveiled a new education benefit to help workers afford a college degree.

In partnership with Guild Education, a leading education benefits platform, Walmart associates will be

able to access affordable, high-quality associate’s and bachelor’s degrees in Business or Supply Chain

Management.

Under the program, which will be made available to all Walmart U.S. and Sam’s Club

associates, Walmart will subsidize the cost of higher education, beyond financial aid and an associate

contribution equivalent to $1 a day.

Degrees will be offered through the University of Florida, Brandman

University and Bellevue University — nonprofit schools selected for their focus and strong outcomes on

serving working adult learners.

“Investing in the personal and professional success of our associates is vital to Walmart’s future success.

We know training and learning opportunities empower associates to deliver for customers while growing

and advancing in their careers,” said Greg Foran, CEO of Walmart U.S.

Under the program, the associate contribution toward a college degree would be just $1 a day. Walmart

will subsidize the cost of tuition, books and fees, eliminating the need for student loan debt and

addressing one the biggest hurdles that keep people from returning to college.

In addition, associates can jumpstart their path to completion by earning college credit for paid training at Walmart Academies. Hundreds of thousands of associates have already undergone skills training

equivalent to more than $210 million in college credits. This will save associates both time and money in

completing their degree.

The goal is for all associates who apply for admission to be accepted.

These universities have a programmatic dedication to high graduation rates for their students.

Associates will receive support from a Guild Education coach on everything from the

application and enrollment process to selecting the appropriate degree. This kind of academic counseling

has been shown to help students complete their degree. Walmart is also committed to an independent evaluation of the outcome of its new offering. The

Lumina Foundation has agreed to research and measure the impact and effectiveness of the program

and will work with the Walmart team to share findings.

“Walmart is making a significant investment in its workforce that will not just help the company, but help

shift how our society moves toward more affordable and accessible pathways for individuals to be

recognized and rewarded for their work-based skills and knowledge, resulting in high-quality, relevant

credentials. We applaud Walmart’s efforts,” said Jamie Merisotis, president and chief executive officer of

the Lumina Foundation.

Additional training

Walmart’s new education program underscores the importance of education in helping associates

prepare for the future. College degrees in supply chain management or business are parts of a broader

approach to preparing the workforce to succeed today and into the future. Initiatives include:

• Developing a broad suite of offerings across roles and levels to help associates from frontline to

executive levels develop job-related skills for advancement.

• Covering the complete cost for associates and eligible family members for earning a high school

diploma or GED.

• Offering associates and eligible family members have access to tuition discounts, financial aid

assistance and education coaching across Guild’s broader network of more than 80 accredited,

nonprofit university partners, including schools such as The Georgia Institute of Technology

(Georgia Tech), Columbia University and Purdue University. These institutions are made

available through EdX.

• Giving access to professional development courses including college prep, leadership training

and ESL.