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Walmart Raises the Bar In Race for African-American Talent

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By Fredrick Lee

  • Workers pay a total of $365 a year for access to Walmart’s education benefits
  • African-Americans make up 21% of Walmart’s U.S. workforce

Walmart (WMT +1.38%) is expanding its education benefits to high schoolers in an effort to attract more African-Americans to work for them. A tighter U.S. job market is making it harder for employers to attract and keep talent. What better way to entice high school students to join the team than to offer education benefits that will help pay for college.  

Walmart Worker.jpg

Why This Matters: Many employers see high school students as a way to grow their business and groom future managers. Walmart is no different, especially since African-Americans make up 21% of its U.S. workforce, making them the largest private employer for this group. As of May 2019, the U.S. unemployment rate for African-Americans over the age of 16 years old was more than 6.2%, the lowest rates for this group in years. With these low rates, it’s becoming more competitive for employers to attract talent to their workforce.  

The U.S. unemployment rate for African-Americans over the age of 16 years old was more than 6.2%, the lowest rates for this group in years

Higher education is a priority for many African-American high school students.  However, the cost of paying for it and incurring student debt continues to be a barrier. Walmart is raising the bar by offering its education benefits to high school students who will pay $1 a day, for 365 days to participate in the program and the company pays the remaining balance. Further enticing African-Americans, Walmart’s education benefits will give students access to major universities, technology degrees, and certificate programs.

Situational Awareness: Walmart’s efforts to entice more African-Americans to join its workforce could help lessen the burden of pursuing and completing higher education.  The question is whether Walmart’s education benefits are good enough to attract the next generation of workers?

CBx Vibe:Yeah!” Jungle Brother

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