Uber's Mission to College Educate Drivers and Their Families
Experts and policymakers of all political leanings tend to agree that a college degree is one of the most valuable credentials for those in the workforce. The issue of access to and affordability of higher education is quickly emerging as a top theme for the growing field of 2020 presidential candidates. Senator Elizabeth Warren recently released her plan to relieve millions of Americans of student-loan debt and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand recently introduced the "Debt-Free College Act of 2018."
By 2020, thirty five percent of job openings will require at least a bachelor's degree. Those with college degrees make almost one and a half times more than those without. Higher education has the potential to improve social mobility, helping level the playing field between children growing up in families with different socioeconomic statuses.
Unfortunately, though, higher education isn't easily accessible to all–it's expensive and takes time, and many people need a certain amount of flexibility to earn a degree, like stay-at-home parents and family caregivers. Flexibility has always been at the core of Uber's business and we're committed to providing our drivers-partners with what they need to succeed at Uber and beyond, which is why we recently partnered with Arizona State University (ASU) to offer thousands of Uber drivers and their families fully funded tuition coverage.
Our program, Uber Pro, started last November in eight U.S. cities. Through the program, eligible drivers and their families can earn undergraduate degrees in over 80 subjects and certificates in entrepreneurship or English as a Second Language (ESL).
We learned a lot from our pilot program, and are excited to announce that as of this week, we are expanding Uber Pro to nearly all major U.S. markets. This means that 120,000 eligible U.S. drivers and counting can now receive 100% tuition coverage. Uber’s program is unique in that drivers can choose to pass along the benefit to a member of their family. Twenty eight percent of drivers who are eligible for the ASU reward have already extended the benefit to a loved one, highlighting the reach of our program.
At Uber, our mission is to ignite opportunity by setting the world in motion, and know we can help by expanding access to higher-education to our community. In the broad debate around this issue, partnerships, including ours with ASU, provide an example of how to improve Americans' access to higher-education.
As we look forward to reauthorization of the Higher Education Act, Uber and ASU will continue to provide opportunities to a high-quality education and hope to serve as a model for other companies to join in, with the shared mission of moving forward together.
