The Chipotle Mexican Grill restaurant chain announced that qualified employees, including crew members, can pursue debt-free college degrees in agriculture, culinary arts, and hospitality through its partnership with Guild Education.
Employees with the company for at least four months will qualify for the debt-free degree program through accredited universities such as The University of Arizona, Bellevue University, Southern New Hampshire University, the University of Denver, Johnson & Wales University, and Oregon State University.
“We are committed to accelerating our employees’ professional growth and helping them achieve personal success by offering opportunities to pursue career paths in their particular area of interest,” Chipotle’s Chief Diversity, Inclusion, and People Officer Marissa Andrada said.
“Diversifying our debt-free degree program with new majors and partner universities makes our educational benefits even more inclusive,” she added.
Chipotle Educational Assistance
The popular food chain began strengthening its educational assistance benefits in 2019. It announced that employees can enroll in different business and technology degrees through Guild and 100 percent of tuition costs will be covered by the company.
Chipotle and Guild stated that these efforts are necessary to fulfill its mission of helping employees realize their potential and become competitive in the current job market.
“Chipotle’s debt-free degree program expansion highlights its deep commitment to employees’ economic opportunity and professional advancement,” Guild Education President and CCO Natalie McCullough stated.
“We are proud to launch this opportunity for debt-free degrees by providing free tuition to help our employees excel in all areas in their lives, both in and out of Chipotle,” Andrada added.