Walmart is one of the leading employers in the United States regarding how many people the retail giant hires, employing millions of full and part-time employees.
But if you’re a Walmart employee, you may have heard of Walmart Academy and wondered what it was. If you’d like to find out more, keep reading this article to see what I discovered!
What Is the Walmart Academy In [currentyear]?
Walmart Academy is a program with e-learning, self-paced modules that helps provide employees with additional training in over 200 locations in [currentyear]. The courses are available to any hourly workers looking to advance in the company. Additionally, Walmart created Walmart Academy to reduce employee turnover, improve consistency, take advantage of existing talent, and promote productivity.
If you want to learn more about Walmart Academy, like what kind of classes are available, how much money Walmart’s invested in the program, and much more, keep reading for more facts!
Why Does Walmart Have Walmart Academy?
Walmart implemented Walmart Academy to better cultivate existing talent in the company and provide better job opportunities to those who want to advance.
Also, Walmart uses Walmart Academy to do the following for its employees:
- Reduce employee turnover
- Improve service in stores
- Improve company execution in stores
- Promote better productivity
Walmart initially introduced Walmart Academy in March 2016 and has continued to expand the program to provide more training opportunities.
How Many People Have Graduated From Walmart Academy?
Since it opened in 2016, Walmart Academy has seen more than 52,000 associates graduate from the program and advance in the company.
Currently, Walmart claims around 150,000 employees formerly or presently enrolled in a Walmart Academy program.
How Much Has Walmart Spent on Walmart Academy?
Currently, Walmart has invested around $2.7 billion on training programs through Walmart Academy and raising wages for 1.2 million store workers.
Additionally, Walmart plans to continue to invest in Walmart Academy, so everyone who wants an opportunity to advance gets a chance to.
Moreover, compared to other retail companies, Walmart has invested a significant amount of money into its workers.
What Are Walmart Academy Classes Like?
Walmart Academy classes are self-paced e-learning modules broken into short, game-like lessons.
Essentially, Walmart Academy classes feel more like playing a game than actual classroom lessons.
Also, Walmart provides new hires enrolled in a Walmart Academy class with a veteran company mentor to assist in the journey.
Further, Walmart offers classes that incorporate the latest technologies, including the following:
- Augmented Reality (AR)
- In-store practice
- Machine learning and AI
- Microlearning
- Virtual Reality (VR)
How Many Walmart Academy Locations Are There?
Walmart has over 200 Walmart Academy locations across the United States with hands-on training in purpose-built classrooms.
At the training facilities, Walmart Academy focuses on training both new and existing processes to drive consistency across all Walmart stores.
Is Walmart Community Academy and the Walmart Academy the Same?
The Walmart Community Academy and the Walmart Academy are not the same programs. The Walmart Community Academy is a free program that offers educational opportunities to anyone in the community.
However, Walmart utilizes the network of Walmart Academy locations to offer the Community Academy classes.
Moreover, Walmart introduced Community Academy to provide educational opportunities to communities that are struggling economically.
Further, Community Academy strives to help people do the following:
- Help people invest in themselves
- Increase upward mobility
- Create fundamentally stronger communities
How Much Do Community Academy Classes Cost?
Walmart’s Community Academy virtual courses are available at no cost, and registration is open to everyone. Some of the Community Academy classes include the following:
- Resume building
- Interviewing skills
- Creating a budget
- Finance skills
- Standardized test preparation
- Navigating college admissions
Overall, Walmart Community Academy courses are grouped into one of five overall themes, which include:
- Community
- Personal finance
- Home
- Career progression
- Technology
Additionally, Walmart plans to expand which courses are available through the Walmart Community Academy program.
What Are Other Employee Benefits at Walmart?
In addition to Walmart Academy courses, employees have access to several other benefits. For example, some of the benefits available to Walmart associates include:
- Scheduling stability (receive work schedules at least two weeks in advance)
- Easy-to-use scheduling app
- 10% discount on certain merchandise
- 6% 401(k) match
- Ability to purchase company stock
- Health care plans
- Doctor on Demand (world-class telehealth service)
- Life insurance options
- Maternity leave (up to ten weeks of leave)
- New parent leave (up to six weeks of paid time)
- Adoption reimbursement (up to $5,000 for expenses)
On top of all these great benefits, Walmart associates can earn competitive wages. For example, Walmart’s average hourly wage was over $16, higher than the national average.
Overall, Walmart takes pride in its job security for its associates.
To learn more, you can also read our posts on the Walmart college program, if Walmart hires at 16, and how to pass the Walmart assessment.
Conclusion
Walmart Academy is a program that offers current Walmart employees an opportunity to learn new skills to help them advance in the company.
Walmart created the e-learning modules to utilize existing talent, promote upward mobility, and promote productivity. Currently, there are over 200 Walmart Academy locations, which are also used for Walmart Community Academy classes.
