Chipotle Mexican Grill has announced that it will provide all eligible employees, including crew members, the opportunity to pursue a debt-free college degree through the Chipotle Cultivate Education benefits program. Chipotle is covering 100 percent of tuition costs up front for 75 different types of business and technology degrees through their partnership with Guild Education, one of the leading education benefits companies in the country.
After 120 days of employment, employees are eligible to pursue degrees from leading nonprofit, accredited universities, including The University of Arizona, Bellevue University, Brandman University, Southern New Hampshire University, and Wilmington University.
"Chipotle recognizes that financial barriers can be one of the biggest obstacles that impede our employees from achieving their fullest potential," said Marissa Andrada, Chief People Officer at Chipotle. "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."
Brice Widger, a Chipotle crew member in New York City stated, "I had two majors with a number of credits and was debating whether or not to go back and pursue my degree. The accelerated program with Bellevue University combined with Chipotle's tuition assistance made the decision easy."
The launch of the debt-free degree is the latest addition to Chipotle's Cultivate Education program, allowing eligible employees to be reimbursed for tuition up to $5,250 a year at the school of their choice. According to Guild Education research, 63 percent of students enrolled in the program are first-generation college students and 86 percent have reported feeling that they need additional education to achieve their professional goals. Last year, Chipotle promoted more than 13,000 of its employees.
