When Employers Offer Education, the Sky’s the Limit
By Mira Radovich, Senior Contributing Writer
Having an educated workforce brings many benefits to an employer, including increased productivity, economic growth and higher quality output.
Education also benefits employees by providing opportunities for career advancement, increased earning potential and personal growth.
This mutually beneficial prospect is why some employers make education and training programs available to their employees.
One such employer is the City of Tempe, which partnered with Rio Salado College in 2021 to offer employees an all-expenses paid online associate degree in general studies.
Shawn Campbell was part of the first cohort of students to take advantage of the opportunity.
“I decided on Rio for a few different reasons,” Campbell said. “I heard many great things about the college and how they help encourage their students to do their absolute best. They also had a program with my work making it the most affordable and obvious choice.”
The City of Tempe paid for the cohort’s tuition and book fees so the students could concentrate 100 percent on their studies, and not worry about the financial implications.
Classes were offered in an 8-week online format and were continuous throughout the year with one-week breaks in between each class.
As a single father of three children, this schedule worked well for Campbell.
“While it was challenging at times, online was the best option for me because it allowed me to have freedom in my school times while working full-time,” Campbell said.
To help stay focused on his studies, Campbell made a few life adjustments.
“For me, it was about compromising what I thought was important for schooling,” he said. “I gave up social media and drinking to ensure I could completely focus on school. Those were the best decisions I have ever made.”
Campbell was the first of his cohort to complete his general studies associate degree last September, thanks to credits he earned previously at other Maricopa County Community Colleges in 2012.
Today, he continues his foray into online learning by pursuing information technology certifications.
“My most inspiring class at Rio was a computer course because it made me sure that that was the correct path for my future,” Campbell said.
He credits Rio Salado with putting him on the path to career success and advancement.
“The courses that I took from Rio have helped me become a leader in my field,” Campbell said. “Eventually, I would like to become part of the IT department and become a supervisor or director before retiring from the city.”
For those weighing the option of going back to school, Campbell is steadfast.
“I worked full time during this entire program while raising my children, coaching their sports teams and volunteering at my church,” Campbell said. “I know going back school can be a difficult decision, but no matter how busy your life is or how old you are, you can always make time to fit school into your schedule.”
Rio Salado College continues to offer City of Tempe employees educational opportunities through its partnership program.