Bringing New Career Paths into Focus
By Donna Morris, Executive Vice President and Chief People Officer, Walmart Inc.
Key Insights
- Walmart launches Associate to Optician, a new no-cost pathway into licensed vision care careers.
- Walmart is increasing the pay range for Walmart U.S. and Sam’s Club Real Estate Facility Services General Maintenance Technicians by about 40%, from $19-$35 to $26-$51.
- Career growth at Walmart is reflected by the fact that 75% of salaried managers began as hourly associates.
Editor’s note: The Key Insights section was updated for clarity on July 9.
Working at Walmart means being part of one of the largest career marketplaces in the world. We have more than 2 million unique career journeys, representing our associates globally.
A key focus at Walmart is how we support our associates in their career journey, including what is possible.
The answer starts with investing in people. When associates can learn new skills, earn recognized credentials and gain experience in growing fields, they prepare for their next job, and they build careers that can grow with them.
That is why at Walmart, we're continuing to invest in career pathways that open doors across our business. Today, we are expanding that commitment with our new Associate to Optician program, alongside the continued growth of our Associate to Technician and Associate to Driver programs.
A New Pathway into Healthcare
For many customers, an optician is one of the first people they meet when they walk into a Walmart Vision Center or Sam's Club Optical Center. Opticians help customers understand their prescriptions, feel confident in their vision and look great in their new frames.
Associate to Optician is offered through Live Better U, Walmart’s no-cost education benefit. It’s designed for associates who currently work outside a Walmart Vision Center or Sam’s Club Optical Center to have a pathway into the field.
Associates who are new to vision care can earn a fully funded associate degree in Optical Science through Live Better U while completing hands-on clinical training.
The program saves associates more than $20,000 in education costs if they were to pursue the certification outside the program. By covering tuition and fees and providing hands-on learning, we're helping remove financial barriers while preparing associates for a licensed healthcare profession. Currently, licensed opticians at Walmart and Sam's Club earn an average starting wage of approximately $33.75 per hour, depending on market and licensing requirements.
A great fact about our first Associate to Optician cohort is that it includes associates with tenure at Walmart ranging from one year to 30 years. That reinforces our belief that learning is continuous, and it is always the right time to explore your next career interest.
Investing in Skills for In-Demand Careers
Associate to Optician builds on the momentum we've seen through Associate to Technician and Associate to Driver - programs that show what's possible when employers invest in helping people develop new skills for in-demand careers.
Through Associate to Technician, we're creating pathways into skilled trades careers like HVAC, refrigeration and electrical systems. As we build on the program’s success, we're expanding the program with a new training site in Atlanta. We are matching our skills training with a new pay structure for Walmart U.S. and Sam’s Club Real Estate Facility Services. For example, currently, the pay range for a General Maintenance Technician role is $19 to $35, and with this investment, it will now be $26 to $51, approximately 40% higher.
These programs build on our first pathway program, Associate to Driver, which has helped more than 1,000 associates earn their Commercial Driver's License while remaining employed and paid throughout training, with Walmart covering the cost of education, certifications and lodging.
These programs are examples of a broader commitment to helping associates build new capabilities throughout their careers. Whether someone is just starting out or ready for their next step, we're investing in learning, development and career mobility so they can grow with Walmart.
Career growth isn't the exception here—it's part of who we are. Today, 75% of our salaried managers started as hourly associates. When we invest in helping associates build skills, earn credentials and pursue new opportunities, we strengthen our business while creating pathways for people to build lasting careers.
That's what opportunity at scale looks like.
