Hormel Foods announces free college tuition for team members

(ABC 6 News) – Hormel Foods announced a new opportunity open to eligible team members in the United States to earn their degree or complete non-degree programs for free.

Hormel Foods is partnering with Workforce Edge, a complete employee education management platform powered by Strategic Education, Inc., on this benefits expansion. This program is part of the extensive educational benefits offered to team members, including its tuition reimbursement program, which has allowed Hormel Foods team members in the United States to continue their education after joining the company.

This new program, which is open to all full-time Hormel Foods team members in the United States, provides them the opportunity to receive a company-funded associates, bachelor’s and master’s degree with Capella University and Strayer University, as well as discounts on tuition at hundreds of well-known colleges and universities throughout the United States.

The program offers a wide variety of educational opportunities in various fields of study including science, technology, engineering, math, business, fine and liberal arts, psychology, criminal justice and legal, including bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral programs.

The program also includes access to 50 + general education-level courses through Sophia Learning, which are ACE recommended for college credit and are designed to be transferred to many colleges and universities.

“Hormel Foods has long supported education as an important investment in our people,” said Katie Larson, senior vice president of human resources at Hormel Foods. “Our team members are the most important part of our company, and we are excited to be able to offer them even greater access to education. It’s an opportunity for us to continue to make a real difference and further invest in the lives and careers of our people.”

Through its Inspired Pathways program, the company provides community-college tuition while also furnishing free one-on-one college advising, financial aid support and career development opportunities. More than 1,200 students have utilized these benefits since the program’s inception in August 2020.