Hiring Strong
Since they first committed to hiring at least 10,000 veterans and spouses two years ago, Starbucks has hired over 2,000 military spouses. And they are investing in communities through Military Families Stores: stores located near military bases across the country where they help veterans and their families transition to civilian life. Currently, Starbucks has established 16 Military Family Stores across the nation, stores that are run by veterans and military spouses. By the end of next year, they plan to have a total of 30. And that’s not all…
College Tuition Extension for Military Spouses
When a company says that they’re investing in an employee’s growth and future, what exactly does it that mean? For Starbucks, that means partnering with a major university to offer tuition free education. The company implemented an initiative that offers eligible U.S. partners who are an active military reservist or veteran with an additional benefit to extend a tuition-free education to a spouse or child through the Starbucks College Achievement Plan in partnership with Arizona State University (ASU).
The numbers are impressive. According to Starbucks, “more than 4,000 partners are currently taking advantage of this 100% tuition coverage education benefit to earn a bachelor’s degree at ASU’s online campus.”
More Benefits
But there’s more. Starbucks consistently strives to make their businesses an ideal space for military spouse partners. Here are some ways they’re currently working to serve their military affiliated partners.
- Internal Military Support Groups: Starbucks has an internal military network and employee affinity group, the Armed Forces Network, with 12 chapters across the country and many more coming online in 2016. The Armed Forces Network provides an additional layer of support for veterans, military spouses and any Starbucks employee who wishes to show support.
- Competitive total pay package: For partners working an average of 20 hours per week, options available include affordable health care, Starbucks stock (Bean Stock), 401(k) match of 4 percent that is immediately 100 percent vested, 100% tuition coverage to finish a bachelor’s degree at Arizona State University’s online campus, free food and beverage benefits on shift, a free pound of coffee every week..
- Flexible schedules.
- Transfer options to over 8000 U.S. stores.
- Career progression. According to Starbucks data, “86 percent of shift supervisors and 77% of store managers are internal promotions.”
- Coffee donations to our active military stationed overseas: For every Starbucks VIA instant purchase made on starbucks.com/shop (U.S. only), the company will make a matching donation of Starbucks VIA Instant to the USO for delivery to active duty service members stationed around the world. U.S. partners also will have the opportunity to donate the weekly free coffee mark-out benefit, which will be shipped to the USO for distribution to troops.
- Patriotic aprons, which feature a partner’s military affiliation and an American flag.
But a company is nothing without its people. So we’ve asked real military spouses to share some of their favorite stories about their time as a partner with Starbucks.
