Media Releases
UPS Delivers Tuition Assistance to Its Employees
September 17, 2007
How am I going to pay tuition?
That is probably the question most asked by people when they are deciding whether to pursue a degree at a higher education institution.
United Parcel Service (UPS) has an answer to that question – the Earn and Learn program, which offers students that work for UPS education assistance.
All UPS workers are eligible for the program. Part-time employees receive up to $3,000 (maximum of $15,000) toward education assistance. Part-time supervisors receive $4,000 per year. The cost is pro-rated if you start work at UPS after the school year starts. And, $2,000 per year in forgivable loans is available.
In addition to the education assistance, UPS also offers a variety of shifts; paid vacations and holidays; and medical, dental, and vision insurance coverage.
Dakota County Technical College (DCTC) is just one of many colleges that benefit from the program.
One student, Melissa Anderson, is using the program to help her through classes at DCTC.
"I work for them, it fits my schedule, they give me a paycheck, and help pay for school," Anderson said. "I have no complaints."
Anderson, who expects to graduate from DCTC this spring, came to college to earn a degree in photography after learning about the program through UPS.
"I worked there for four years before I took advantage of the program," Anderson said. "I started to take advantage of it, and it's been awesome."
The process for UPS employees to get their tuition money is easy. UPS and DCTC have an agreement that UPS will pay up-front for any class or classes the student chooses to take.
"You can take any accredited courses," UPS Workforce Planning Manager, Minnesota district, Rory Hokens said.
The Earn and Learn program begin in 1999 and has become a popular option for many students. Hokens said that 73 percent of the part-time hires in Minnesota this year are students, and last year, one out of five part-time UPS employees in Minnesota used the benefit.
"It's been a phenomenal success for UPS," Hokens said. "There isn't a better program out there."
UPS began the program to help retain employees and to have a more educated workforce
"It doubles their length in stay at UPS," Hokens said. "It's a retention tool, and it provides us with employees."
For Anderson, it was the chance to go back to school and get further acquainted with the changing photography world.
Anderson, who owns her own photography company, said that the education at DCTC helped her understand digital photography better.
"It really helped me out with the switch to digital from film," she said. "The instructors have always been so helpful."
Thanks to the UPS Earn and Learn program, Anderson has successfully made the transition to digital photography from film, and will be prepared to make the transitions necessary to reach her career goals.