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Here's your SCUP Link to "Wal-Mart to Offer Its Workers a College Program"

As you probably know, many major funding organizations and the federal government are setting goals for massive increases in US college graduates over the next 10 years. Wal-Mart and American Public University are teaming up in a way that should let many of Wal-Mart's employees work toward degrees, and get credit for on-the-job training as part of the program. Our first reaction was, "Why did this partnership need to be with a for-profit? Aren't non-profits innovative enough to negotiate this kind of arrangement?"

Late news: on the Confessions of a Community College Dean blog, there's a great post with his/her initial reactions, as well as the beginning of a good thread of commentary. Catch that here.

The program will initially allow about 200,000 employees in positions like cashier, department manager and distribution center unloader to accrue credits for training they already receive in their jobs.

For instance, a department-level manager, who receives training from Wal-Mart in areas like pricing, inventory management and ethics, would be eligible for 24 credits, at no charge, toward a 61-credit associates’ degree.

Employees can receive up to 45 percent of credit toward an associate’s or bachelor’s degree at American Public University via the on-the-job credits.