Friday, June 4, 2010

Nation & World | Wal-Mart to offer college credits to workers | Seattle Times Newspaper

Nation & World | Wal-Mart to offer college credits to workers | Seattle Times Newspaper


Wal-Mart to offer college credits to workers

Here's a new way to look at Wal-Mart: institution of higher learning. Under a program announced Thursday, employees will be able ...
The Washington Post
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Here's a new way to look at Wal-Mart: institution of higher learning.
Under a program announced Thursday, employees can receive college credit for performing their jobs, including such tasks as loading trucks and ringing up purchases. Workers could earn up to 45 percent of the credits needed for an associate or bachelor's degree while on the job.
The credits are earned through the Internet-based American Public University (APU), headquartered in Charles Town, W.Va.
"We want to provide you with more ways and faster ways to succeed with us," Eduardo Castro-Wright, head of Wal-Mart's U.S. division, told 4,000 employees during the company's annual meeting. The program is designed to encourage more workers to climb the corporate ladder. Though Wal-Mart says about 70 percent of its managers begin as hourly employees, it estimates that half of its employees do not hold college


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