Micro Business Cases
Corporate Voices is committed to identifying and spotlighting businesses and business practices with the intent of replicating and scaling those practices that make significant contributions to postsecondary education completion through progressive Learn and Earn talent development models. These Learn and Earn models increase access to career opportunities through education and training.
Access the Learn and Earn micro business case studies below. These case studies were developed with the generous support of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and its Postsecondary Success Strategy. A matrix of the business best practice supports found in Learn and Earn partnerships can be found here.
AOL
AOL has partnered with Year Up to access diverse, motivated and productive entry-level talent. Through internships, mentoring and training, AOL plays an active role in recruiting and developing its young talent. Interns that receive training through Year Up and through their AOL internship feel as if they develop the skills and connections needed to get a firm foothold on a path to economic self-sufficiency.
Applied Scientific Instrumentation
Applied Scientific Instrumentation has developed a strong cooperative education partnership with Lane Community College (LCC) in Eugene, Oregon, through which it secures a reliable source of skilled talent to meet its workforce needs in the high-tech industry.
AREVA
AREVA, in partnership with Central Virginia Community College, hires high school graduates and provides them the opportunity to earn an associate degree, creating a pipeline of skilled and educated workers and ensuring AREVA is an employer of choice in the central Virginia region.
Bison Gear and Engineering Corporation
Through workforce investments and partnerships with regional community colleges to deliver customized, technical training, Bison Gear experiences gains in productivity and performance.
Bright Horizons Family Solutions, LLC
Bright Horizons provides a blended e-training program to help teachers acquire their Child Development Associate credential, professionalizing the field of early education and achieving greater center accreditation, the industry standard of excellence.
Convergys
Convergys has partnered with Bellevue University to create a customized, industry-specific program to develop and retain middle managers in the company's customer care operations.
Crest Cadillac
Crest Cadillac has cultivated a partnership with Brookhaven Community College in the Dallas metro area to offer an Automotive Service Education Program (ASEP), which is a nationally recognized, dealership sponsored cooperative associate degree program in automotive technology. Through internships, tuition reimbursement, mentoring, curriculum development with employer input, flexible scheduling and other supports, the program provides the dealership with a highly competitive and loyal workforce.
CVS Caremark
By partnering with public workforce systems, CVS Caremark sources and trains entry-level workers from disadvantaged populations and positively affects its retention and ROI.
Expeditors
Through its Opportunity Knocks program, Expeditors recruits, supports and mentors marginalized youth so they can develop professionally within the global logistics management company, and go to college.
Georgia Power
Georgia Power has partnered with the Technical College System of Georgia to develop an "Electrical Lineworker Bootcamp" certificate program to train electrical lineworkers in the community. The partnership has helped the company source skilled labor and has lowered recruitment and retention costs.
Harshaw Trane
Professional energy services employer partners with technical college to develop high-tech, credentialed heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVAC-R) talent pipeline.
Health Careers Collaborative
UC Health and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital have partnered with local community colleges to form Health Careers Collaborative (HCC) of Greater Cincinnati, a business-led consortium providing employers with a skilled, credentialed, loyal and diverse workforce. This partnership also provides entry-level workers with educational opportunities leading to greater career mobility.
IBM
To grow and enhance the quality of the future STEM workforce, IBM partnered with Queensborough Community College to create an early warning system to identify Latino students at risk of dropping out.
KPMG
By working closely with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and other educational institutions, KPMG hires more diverse, high-potential, talented and prepared workers by providing internships, scholarships, professional development and mentorship opportunities.
McDonald's
Committed to being the world’s “best talent developer,” McDonald’s obtains college credit recommendations, through the American Council on Education CREDIT® review process, for its corporate training through its innovative Hamburger University.
Millstone Power Station
Millstone Power Station's partnership with Three Rivers Community College has created a pool of skilled and educated workers who are committed to lifelong careers in the nuclear field. The partnership has also led to higher retention rates and a positive return on the company's investment in on-the-job training and licensure.
Northrop Grumman
Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding has made significant investments in its Apprentice School to ensure a reliable source of skilled talent and future leaders in shipbuilding and repair. By partnering with Thomas Nelson and Tidewater Community Colleges, the School offers advanced programs to train employees for the technological challenges of nuclear-powered shipbuilding.
Pacific Gas & Electric Company
Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E), one of the largest natural gas and electric utilities in the United States, launched the PowerPathway™ program, in conjunction with education, government, labor and industry partners, to provide workforce readiness training in new energy jobs. The program's customized training cultivates career pathways to strengthen the workforce talent pool in California, and to increase access to jobs in the high-growth energy sector for underserved communities.
Toyota
Toyota lends leadership to community college-industry partnership in order to ensure that education and learning outcomes serve business needs, as well as individuals.
UPS
Through a partnership with Jefferson Community and Technical College, the University of Louisville, the Commonwealth of Kentucky and Louisville Metro Government, UPS was able to effectively meet the workforce demands of its Next Day Air operation in Louisville, KY. The partnership, called Metropolitan College, offered UPS' employees access to tuition-free postsecondary education, and helped to significantly reduce the company's turnover rates and improve its recruiting and retention.
Verizon Wireless
Verizon wireless offers its employees complete financial support to attend its internal training program, LearningLINK, and it also partners with community colleges and universities to offer on-site delivery of classes that lead to college degrees. Through financial support and mentorship, Verizon has seen its effort to train its workers positively affect performance, productivity and employee career mobility, as well as improve recruitment and retention rates.
Western Association of Food Chains
In 2000, the Western Association of Food Chains (WAFC) created a Retail Management Certificate Program in partnership with community colleges in California to provide the retail food industry with a more educated and higher performing workforce. The program also fosters emerging leaders in the industry and creates an opportunity for workers in the retail food industry to continue their college education.
Walmart
In 2010, Walmart began its Lifelong Learning Program in partnership with American Public University (APU) to provide associates the opportunity to earn college credit for prior and on-the-job training, and to continue their college education. The partnership provides Walmart with a skilled talent pool, and provides associates with valuable, practical support to complete their postsecondary education.