Verizon Wireless And Strayer University Team Up To Bring The College Classroom To The Workplace

Students Earn College Degrees at Work Site; More Locations Planned.

SALT LAKE CITY, UT — The halls may not be covered in ivy, but the Verizon Wireless call center near Salt Lake City is very much an institution of higher learning.

Through a partnership with Strayer University, Verizon Wireless launched a model college degree program at its call center last fall. Associate and bachelor’s of business administration classes as well as an MBA program are conducted onsite at no cost to employees, thanks to the company’s tuition assistance program. Business courses are tailored to the Verizon Wireless student, with the opportunity to use actual business scenarios as case studies.

“The onsite program allows our employees to continue their education right here at our call center,” says Trent Vansice, director of customer service for the Salt Lake City call center. “It has made it much easier for employees to take advantage of our industry-leading tuition assistance benefits.”

“Strayer University is honored to partner with Verizon Wireless to provide the best possible educational experience for its employees,” said Karl McDonnell, chief operating officer for Strayer University. “This program model has enabled us to extend our reach in ways not previously available to fulfill our mission of providing a high quality education for working adults.”

The onsite education program also makes good business sense. Vansice reports that employee turnover rates are significantly lower for those who take advantage of the educational benefit provided by the company.

Verizon Wireless is the highest-ranked wireless company on Training magazine’s list of top 125 training organizations in America and the only wireless carrier included in the “Working Mother 100 Best Companies” where recognition is based on a work environment that is especially hospitable to working parents.

The company currently offers onsite college programs in nine of its 29 call centers, plus programs in five headquarters offices. Verizon Wireless plans to expand the onsite college degree programs to company locations in three additional states in the western U.S. later this year and seeks to add even more states during the next two years.