UPS in Fargo is Helping its Employees Earn and Learn their Way Through College

The new program was started to help keep the company's employees in place while they attend school

FARGO, N.D. — For both large companies and small businesses, finding qualified employees has been difficult in the F–M area.  One major company is helping its part–time employees earn college degrees.  UPS is expanding its tuition reimbursement program into the eastern half of North Dakota.

“Up until now, we’ve been holding our own, but it’s still very hard to find quality people that want to work here for at least a year,” said Tim Johnson, HR Supervisor for UPS in Fargo.

UPS in Fargo was having a difficult time keeping their part–time employees, so they enacted a corporate policy to help reduce their turnover.

“Earn and Learn is a tuition–reimbursement program that we have for all of our employees,” said Johnson.  “We will reimburse our people up to $5,250 a year, which is just above and beyond their wages and their benefits.”

The new program comes at a perfect time for part–time UPS employees, many of whom work while attending college.

“Then this education assistance kind of came into role here, so there’s a lot of things that are exciting about it, that I can go back to school, and the reason I can go back to school is that I can afford it through UPS,” said Jordan Thooft, UPS employee.

For Jordan, enrolling in the Earn and Learn program means he can earn a degree without dealing with student loan debts.

“Having all of my tuition covered is huge,” said Thooft.  “And having any assistance is huge when we come out of school; not have to worry about that and just jumping right into the workforce.”

UPS officials hope the program attracts even more college students, who could eventually become long–term employees.

“They work really well into students’ schedules.  They can work, go to college, earn a degree and at the end of it all get it paid for,” said Johnson.

UPS began the Earn and Learn program in 1999 and gave more than $200 million in tuition reimbursement.