Employees are demanding tuition-free education benefits

For educators, free tuition could be the key to easing their stress and helping them succeed, despite the outsized challenges of the pandemic.

Care provider Bright Horizons announced that 2,000 of its full-time employees have enrolled in their Horizons Teacher Degree Program, which gives employees the opportunity to earn a free associate or bachelor’s degree in early childhood education.

This milestone comes at a particularly challenging time for educators, who have been especially burdened by the pandemic as they try to adapt to a remote learning environment, while keeping their students engaged, productive and focused. Thirty-eight percent of K-12 employees say that working during the pandemic has made them consider changing jobs, versus 25% of other government employees, according to data from Center for State and Local Government Excellence.

Read More: Teachers are in danger of losing their savings as COVID-19 persists

Since July, 2018, Horizons Teacher Degree Program has provided employees with a path to enhance their education, without the financial burden that goes with it. The Bright Horizons’ teachers taking advantage of the program will not have to pay out of pocket for expenses including tuition, fees and books.

“There is a shortage of early education teachers and especially early education center directors,” says Patrick Donovan, senior vice president of emerging services at Bright Horizons. “So we designed an education program we could offer to attract people into the field and remove as many barriers as we could and the biggest one is financial.”

Read More: Disney cast members aspire for higher learning

Employees are increasingly interested in education benefits and feel additional education would make them more productive and loyal to their workplace. Seventy-five percent of employees surveyed by Bright Horizons said they would feel more motivated if they had access to education opportunities through their employer, while 74% say they would feel more secure in their current job if offered education opportunities. Seventy-three percent of employees say education benefits would make them feel more confident in their ability to do their current job.

Read More: Black employees aren’t impressed by DE&I efforts

“I knew I was capable and intelligent, but the thought of the debt I would be left with after paying for school was overwhelming,” says Lauren Floyd, health and safety director of Bright Horizons at Braker Lane in Austin. “My confidence and self-worth have been exemplified since receiving my degree and I believe my passion for early childhood education and providing quality care for children while supporting staff and families has only been enhanced with the formal education provided by the program.”