Walmart to offer community training
America’s biggest retailer is using its employee training programs to also help provide personal financial help and career planning for local communities, including Chattanooga.
Walmart’s training academy at its superstore on Little Debbie Parkway in Collegedale is one of more than 200 such Walmart training facilities that are also beginning to provide free community classes.
“Community Academy began with a question: How can we help?” said Andy Trainor, vice president of learning at Walmart. “With so many communities struggling economically and education sometimes out of reach, we recognized a need that we’re uniquely suited to fill. Our goal is to help people invest in themselves, increase upward mobility and create fundamentally stronger communities as a result.”
Walmart is now offering virtual courses at no cost, and registration is open to all. Class topics include everything from résumé building and interviewing skills to budget and finance, standardized test preparation and navigating college admissions. Each of our courses are grouped into one of five overall themes – community, personal finance, home, career progression and technology – “and we’ll expand our offerings throughout the year,” Trainor said.