LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — On Tuesday, Walmart announced 100% of their associates' college tuition and books will be paid through their Live Better U (LBU) education program.
Starting August 16, the $1 a day fee will be removed for associates, making all education programs paid for by Walmart.
Thanks to the program, approximately 1.5 million part-time and full-time Walmart and Sam's Club associates in the U.S. can earn college degrees without the burden of college debt.
Walmart is committing to invest nearly $1 billion over the next five years in career-driven training and development.
Lorraine Stomski, senior vice president of learning and leadership at Walmart, made the following statement:
“We are creating a path of opportunity for our associates to grow their careers at Walmart, so they can continue to build better lives for themselves and their families. This investment is another way we can support our associates to pursue their passion and purpose while removing the barriers that too often keep adult working learners from obtaining degrees.”
LBU was designed after consulting with experts, reviewing other employer-provided education programs and studying the researching around what helps drive completion rates among adult working learners.
This guided the $1 a day approach, but the economy and job market have changed, and the company is always looking for new ways to encourage more associates to pursue further education.