The company said all team members are eligible to apply to the program, which provides up to $5,250 per year toward a qualifying degree.
On June 8, Lake Forest, Illinois-based industrial supplies distributor Grainger announced it is expanding its educational assistance program to include part-time team members, according to a company news release.
Grainger also said it has partnered with new institutions to provide “high-quality degree programs,” some at no cost.
“Embracing curiosity is core to how we operate as a team and Grainger is proud to support all team members in achieving their educational and career goals,” said Randy Tosch, Vice President, Talent for Grainger. “With thousands of accredited schools across the United States, our team members have numerous choices.”
All team members are eligible to apply to the program, which provides up to $5,250 per year toward a qualifying degree. For yearly tuition beyond that, Grainger said it will split the cost, covering 50% with no limit.
The program also includes specialized technical certifications such as HVAC and OSHA training. Academic advisers also will be made available.
“Taking advantage of the Educational Assistance Program was such an easy and valuable process,” said Carlo Perez, Inventory Control Quality Assurance, at Grainger’s Distribution Center. “I wanted to further my education, so I obtained my associate’s degree in business management. My leaders were all very supportive and flexible with my schedule so I could be successful during this process.”
Learn more about the program here.
The program announcement comes two months after Grainger was named one of the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For in 2023, the second consecutive year the company received the recognition.
Grainger was previously named one of the 2023 Fortune ‘World’s Most Admired Companies’ and one of the Fortune Best Workplaces for Women in 2022.
The company ranked as both the No. 1 Industrial Distributor and No. 1 MRO Industrial Distributor on MDM’s 2023 Top Distributors lists. In total, Grainger was listed on 10 of MDM’s 17 lists for 2023 Top Distributors.
Mark Powell is one of MDM’s associate editors. He is a former mainstream news reporter and editor and has worked in the online, print, radio and TV news industries. Mark earned a bachelor’s degree from San Jose State University and a master’s degree from California State University, Bakersfield. He has lived and worked in various cities across California, Colorado and Kansas and currently lives in Shafter, California.
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