Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • Maternity & Paternity
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
    • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • Maternity & Paternity
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
    • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+

Latest NewsBenefitsLearning & development

Starbucks to pay for employees’ degrees

by Rob Moss 2 Apr 2019
by Rob Moss 2 Apr 2019 US Starbucks employees graduating last year. Photo: Starbucks
US Starbucks employees graduating last year. Photo: Starbucks

Starbucks has announced it will fund UK employees through a Bachelor’s degree, in an expansion of its US education programme.

The coffee chain will offer 100 employees in the UK free tuition for a Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts degree, through an online degree programmes from Arizona State University.

Martin Brok, president of Starbucks EMEA, said: “If we can remove the financial burden of the cost of a university degree while helping our partners gain skills that will set them up for future success – we can’t think of a better investment.”

Starbucks launched its partnership with Arizona State University in 2014, and has supported more than 18,000 US staff through the programme, with 2,400 graduates to date. UK applications open today and the first courses will begin in October 2019.

To qualify for this benefit, applicants must be a Starbucks employee based in a company-operated store in the UK and have completed three months’ continuous employment. Graduates cannot apply, nor can anyone participating in any other full-time education or training.

Having worked closely with employees to identify what employee benefits matter most to them, Starbucks said that many expressed how expensive it is study for a university degree – tuition fees for those studying in England can be up to £9,250 a year.

Starbucks said that creating opportunities like this for its staff results in a “deeper connection to the brand, customer connections and retention within the organisation”.

Developed and taught by the same university faculty who teach on campus in Arizona, more than 40 degree subjects are available including: Biological Sciences, Nutrition, Business Data Analytics, Women and Gender Studies, Tourism, Corporate Accounting, and Fine Arts & Design.

Courses will be delivered through an online portal to allow staff to learn in their own time, and the degree is a fully recognised qualification in the U.K.

“For those who have ever considered earning their degree and haven’t had the opportunity or those who’ve had to put their studies on hold, the Starbucks Degree Achievement Programme could be the chance they’ve been waiting for to earn their degree – with Starbucks here to pick up the bill,” added Brok.

In addition to the financial support, students who are admitted under the plan will also have a dedicated enrolment coach and academic advisor to support them through graduation.

Michael M. Crow, president, Arizona State University said: “ASU’s ability to scale through innovation and technology, allows us to reach learners across the globe, in the effort to provide an education to all who desire to learn. We are delighted to partner once again with Starbucks in this important step forward with the global expansion of our partnership.”

Rob Moss
Rob Moss

Rob Moss is a business journalist with more than 25 years' experience. He has been editor of Personnel Today since 2010. He joined the publication in 2006 as online editor of the award-winning website. He specialises in labour market economics, gender diversity and family-friendly working. He has hosted hundreds of webinar and podcasts, most recently on the challenges created by the coronavirus pandemic. Before writing about HR and employment he ran news and feature desks on publications serving the global optical and eyewear market, the UK electrical industry, and electrical markets in Asia and the Middle East.

previous post
New flexibility in immigration rules allays skills gap fears
next post
Top 10 HR questions March 2019: Anonymous witness rights

1 comment

Avatar
Abdullah AlMasoud 4 Apr 2019 - 8:18 am

What about other countries that Starbucks operates in such as Saudi Arabia? Employees and customers appreciate companies that benefit the societies that they operate in

Reply

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

You may also like

Lack of flexibility pushes half of women to...

16 May 2022

Twice as many men as women hold company...

3 May 2022

Childcare: Bright Horizons’ mission to elevate the profession

24 Mar 2022

Meta employees hung out to dry with benefit...

21 Mar 2022

Childcare costs: One in three preschool parents spend...

17 Mar 2022

Rise in cost of living prompts key workers...

11 Mar 2022

Cost of living crisis: what can businesses do...

7 Mar 2022

How to ensure your benefits are fit for...

1 Mar 2022

M&S raises minimum pay to £10 an hour...

16 Feb 2022

Is there room for love in the 9...

11 Feb 2022
  • Apprenticeships are the solution to your recruitment problems PROMOTED | Apprenticeships have the pulling power...Read more
  • What it really means to be mentally fit PROMOTED | What is mental fitness...Read more
  • How music can help to ease anxiety at work PROMOTED | A lot has happened since March 2020, hasn’t it?...Read more
  • Why now is the time to plug the unhealthy gap PROMOTED | We’ve all heard the term ‘health is wealth’...Read more

Personnel Today Jobs
 

Search Jobs

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2022

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2022 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • Maternity & Paternity
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
    • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+