Inland Empire Students Benefiting from Walmart’s Live Better U Program
Corona, CA – Since the launch of Walmart’s Live Better U program, participants living and working in 11 cities throughout the Inland Empire are in the process of earning a degree for $1 a day. Walmart offers non-traditional students, who also work as Walmart associates, the opportunity to develop valuable oral, research, and writing skills by taking online courses through accredited universities.
Live Better U offers a range of college preparation certificates and degrees with an online course arrangement that gives students flexibility and control over their education. Inland Empire students working toward a degree are local to cities such as Corona, Fontana, Manifee, Murrieta, and Moreno Valley.
“Everything is online, which makes it easier for me to complete the classes as a working mom,” said Michelle Himes, Manifee Live Better U participant. “While my kids are finishing their homework, I am able to help them while I work on my degree. The household schedule is synced, allowing me to have more time with my kids.”
Recently, Walmart announced seven new health care degrees and two health care career diplomas students can now pursue through Live Better U. Walmart associates in the IE and across the country will now have the opportunity to pursue careers as technicians and opticians. Live Better U just accepted over 15,000 new participants, with the health degree driving the biggest bump in enrollment that the program has seen since it began.
Walmart offers the Live Better U program as a way to ensure that their employees are academically prepared and confident to continue their professional path in the workforce. In California alone, Walmart employees have earned nearly 1,400 credits, worth over $800,000. Walmart is implementing the Live Better U program as an alternative approach to secure a degree in the hopes that it will alleviate the pressure of the lack of affordable higher education options to the residents of the Inland Empire. Nationwide, there are nearly 8,000 active students.
Here’s how the program has positively impacted California associates in the past year –
- Walmart associates have earned a total value of $801,701 credits
- 1,377 credits have been completed
- California is one of the top 10 states in tuition saved, at more than $800,000
Nationally, Live Better U associates have completed more than 36,000 credits worth a total of $17 million since the program launched last September. Additionally, Walmart has paid a total of $450,000 in books and fees for associates.
The Live Better U program has a promising future to continue expanding impactful educational opportunities for the residents of the Inland Empire.
For more information about the Live Better U program, please visit Walmart’s blog post.