Wal-Mart to partner with online university

Wal-Mart to partner with online university

In an effort to provide its employees with career advancement opportunities, Wal-Mart announced today that it has signed a partnership agreement with American Public University (APU), an accredited provider of online degree programs.

Through the collaboration, Wal-Mart employees can enroll in one of the university's online bachelors degree programs at a reduced tuition rate. They will also be eligible to earn college credit for their on-the-job experience and training.

Officials with Wal-Mart told the Associated Press that the company plans on committing $50 million dollars over the next three years to help its employees cover the costs of textbooks and any fees associated with the program.

"We wanted to create a new way of thinking about what we call associate opportunity," said Tom Mars, Wal-Mart's Chief Administrative Officer.

The chain of stores chose to partner with APU after consulting with all of its employees regarding their educational needs. According to the survey, a total of 72 percent of the more than 32,000 Wal-Mart associates said that they would prefer an online university over a traditional, brick-and-mortar institution.

By Mark Danson