Wal-mart jobs will no more be equated with lack of higher education
Though Wal-mart jobs have been traditionally attractive to young adults without college degrees, the company itself has taken note of the fact and is taking proactive steps to help people in Wal-Mart Careers attain college degrees. As of June, 2010, the company has tied up with American Public University to offer college credits to staff in Wal-mart jobs, who are interested in online college education. People in Wal-mart jobs have been offered a discounted tuition of $212.50 per undergraduate credit hour and $255 for graduate credits. The company has also announced plans for investing $50 million over the next three years in tuition assistance for students engaged in Wal-mart jobs.
The impact of the educational assistance program for those in Wal-mart jobs
According to industry reports, about a half of those working in Wal-mart jobs have high school diplomas, but lack college degrees. Experts are of the opinion that if even 10 to 15 percent of people in Wal-mart jobs avail of the opportunity provided under the new educational assistance program then it would come to a number equivalent to graduating three Ohio State Universities. At a time, when college degrees are becoming unaffordable due to costs as well as due to the need to start immediate earning, Wal-mart jobs and Wal-Mart careers offer an acceptable way to have jobs and still earn college degrees.
Currently, about 200, 000 people in Wal-mart jobs are eligible for the college credits program: eligibility includes a minimum one year in Wal-mart jobs as a full time employee with favorable reviews. Part-timers in Wal-Mart careers extending over three years with good reviews are also eligible for the educational assistance program for those in Wal-mart jobs.
Better Wall-mart careers spell better educational opportunities
There are many who have had to drop their plans for higher education to make ends meet, but for those in Wal-mart jobs now the opportunity to pursue lost dreams has become reality. The company takes into account length of service, position, and good reviews to decide the level of educational assistance to be provided. So, people more successful in Wal-Mart careers will receive greater assistance to pursue higher education. According to industry reports, while people in managerial level Wal-mart jobs may earn up to 24 on-the-job college credits for free and may pay under $8000 for an associate degree, employees at lower rungs of Wal-mart careers may be eligible for about six on-the-job credits and end up paying close to $12,000 for a similar degree. However, this is to be expected, as a policy that does not reward length of service and performance proportionately would be unfair to those who work harder.
Wal-mart jobs today, are quite a bit more than what they used to be perceived as in yesteryear's. People in Wal-Mart Careers feel more secure than in many other industries for they know that they are working with one of America's biggest employers, and one, which knows how to maintain the lead even through an aggressive economic recession.
