Skills Help Build Careers at Walmart
We are investing $1 billion in skills training programs to help
associates advance in their careers – with or without a degree.
Since Sam Walton founded the company in 1962, Walmart has provided millions of people with access to good jobs and the opportunity to build a career. Our culture of growing our own is deeply embedded in our business, and we invest heavily in our people. Today, our Walmart Academy is one of the largest training programs in the U.S., our industry-leading Live Better U education benefit pays for associates to learn new skills and we’re building career pathways to in-demand jobs that come with greater responsibility and higher pay. These investments have been good for our associates, our business and the communities we serve.
What is Skills-First Training at Walmart?
We’re creating pathways to opportunities for frontline associates to move into higher-paying, in-demand roles like store and club management, truck drivers, pharmacy technicians, HVAC technicians and more.
Skills-first hiring
We’re removing college degree requirements where possible.
Walmart Academy
We provide the largest private training program in the nation.
Live Better U
Associates can earn short-form certificates, degrees and credentials at no cost.
Partnering with Military Organizations
Walmart is proud to have hired over 500,000 veterans and military spouses since 2013. We know from experience that veterans have leadership, technical expertise and adaptability — skills that map directly to Walmart roles.
To make the connection between military and civilian life more seamless, we’ve launched a Skills Navigator to match their skills with open opportunities at Walmart and a veteran-focused Job Simulator that offers an interactive “day in the life” preview. Both are on our careers site.
Together, these tools empower veterans to translate their military expertise into successful Walmart careers, and we’re partnering with military organizations to ensure transitioning service members know about these tools.
Why Skills-First?
The U.S. workforce remains at an inflection point: there are more open jobs than there are unemployed workers, making it difficult for public and private sector employers to find qualified talent. That talent does exist – we just need to do a better job finding it. We believe a skills-first approach can drive workforce mobility, address labor shortages and strengthen the economy. That’s why we’re leading by example inside and outside the company.
Tap into
existing talent
We remove barriers so associates can build careers and fill key roles.
Record-high
student loan debt
Student loan debt in the U.S. continues to grow, making college degrees too costly.
The decades-long focus
on college degrees
College degree requirements have left many roles unfilled.
Leading the Skills-First Conversation
Walmart is leading the way. Our Opportunity Summits pulled together other large employers, federal, state and local government officials, workforce experts and leaders from higher education and nonprofits to invest in American jobs through a skills-first approach.
Walmart.org
Our philanthropic arm is focused on helping frontline workers advance.
million+
Skills-First
Workforce Initiative
A groundbreaking project with Burning Glass Institute and other large employers to develop a framework for skills-first hiring for common roles.
Skills in the States
We’re working to create skills-based systems in states like Arkansas, Alabama, Colorado and Arkansas.
Our Work in the News
Sam's Club Is Investing Additional $3M to Unlock Careers
Two $1.5M grants to Big Thought and the SHRM Foundation are paving the way for new career pathways.
Creating More Career Opportunities in Our Home State
Arkansas LAUNCH is designed to benefit not only our home state but also to serve as a model for how employees can match with the best roles offered by employers.
Walmart Launches Associate Bonuses, New Opportunities
Over the past five years, we’ve increased hourly wages by around 30%, bringing our U.S. average hourly wage to close to $18. But it’s not just about pay.
Accelerates Plans To Provide Associates With Skills To Fill 100,000 In-Demand Jobs
The company is doubling the number of Walmart-paid short certificate options, providing pathways to higher-paying, higher-skilled jobs.
All Learning Counts at Walmart
Walmart and Walmart.org are investing in skills-based systems to connect people to more career opportunities.
5 Career Pathways for Associates
Recently, I had the chance to meet five associates who have forged career pathways that show where we are going as one of the largest employers in the country.
- Walmart’s $115,000 Starting Pay and Better Rigs Draw Women to Trucking
- Walmart and other US companies want to build a pipeline of skilled tradespeople
- Walmart’s army of bakery decorators takes the cake when it comes to hourly store pay
- Walmart Pilots AI Interview Coach and Accelerates Associate to Technician Program To Fuel Careers
- Walmart, Google aid development of Arkansas' skills-based job marketplace (Axios)
- Manager Academy Surpasses More than 4,000 Trained Leaders, Set to Expand Internationally (LinkedIn)
- New Year, New Skills: What’s in Store at Walmart in 2025 (LinkedIn)
- Walmart Just Announced a Brilliant Idea, and People Are Going to Like It (Inc.com)
- Exclusive: Walmart and others look to standardize job description language (Axios)
- Back to Skills: Training, Education & Opportunity (LinkedIn)
- Top 10 Career Paths at Walmart and Sam’s Club (LinkedIn)
- Walmart Says 75% of its U.S. Roles Now Don’t Require Degrees – And Plans New Skills Project (Forbes)
- Opinion: How Walmart Is Catalyzing The Skills-First Movement (Forbes)
- 8 Ways Walmart Improved One of the Nation’s Largest Training Programs: A Walmart Academy Story (LinkedIn)
- Walmart rolls out new training programs for skilled trades as it tries to fill high-demand roles (CNBC)
- Walmart US CEO talks inflation, self-checkout, and paying six-figures to non-college degree workers (ABC)
- Opinion: Not Everyone Needs a College Degree (WSJ)
- Walmart Wants to Teach Store Managers Compassion (New York Times)
- Walmart Plans to Fill 100,000 Jobs by Doubling Certificate Programs – Ad Slashing Degree Options (Forbes)
- Walmart Plans To Remove College Degree Requirements From Hundreds Of Corporate Job Descriptions (Forbes)
