Walmart is introducing a new employee benefit program aimed at preparing the next generation of health care professionals.
Through the new program, Walmart associates can apply for bachelor degrees and career diplomas in health care fields for $1 per day. Employees can apply through Walmart’s education benefit program, Live Better U, for one out of seven different bachelor degrees and two career diploma tracks.
The seven bachelor’s degrees are in health science, health and wellness, and healthcare management and administration; they are offered through multiple universities, including Purdue University Global, Southern New Hampshire University, Bellevue University and Wilmington University. The career diplomas are for pharmacy technicians and opticians and are offered through Penn Foster.
This initiative is designed to upskill Walmart’s employee workforce to fill health care roles through Walmart and Sam’s Club. According to Walmart’s website, there are more than 5,000 pharmacies, 3,000 vision centers and 400 hearing centers in the Walmart business ecosystem.
“Our presence in thousands of communities gives us a unique opportunity to provide access to affordable healthcare to millions of people, and we need trained associates in order to do so,” Thomas Van Gilder, Walmart’s Chief Medical Office, said in a statement. “As our health and wellness strategy and offerings continue to evolve, Live Better U will play a critical role in preparing our associates across the country for future work opportunities in the growing healthcare field.”
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