November 22, 2024

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Starbucks Korea employees pose for a photo during the 2024 graduation ceremony at Hanyang Cyber University in Seoul, Saturday. (Starbucks Korea)

Starbucks Korea on Tuesday said more than 400 employees have successfully attained their bachelor's degrees through a tuition assistance program in collaboration with Hanyang Cyber University.

In the fall of 2016, Starbucks Korea signed a partnership with Hanyang Cyber University, under which the specialty coffee chain pledged to cover the tuition fees for employees pursuing their first bachelor's degree.

Employees are given the freedom to choose their majors independent of their work at Starbucks, with no obligatory tenure requirement associated with the employer after benefiting from the program.

Since the inception of the program in 2016 with 73 participants, a total of 1,770 associates, including new entrants this year, have received assistance. Among them, 423 employees have completed their studies, and 63 participants attended the 2024 graduation ceremony held at Hanyang Cyber University in Seoul on Saturday.

The program's popularity continues to grow, with courses and examinations all being carried out online, allowing workers to strike a balance between working and studying. Song Yoon-ju, a hospitality management graduate, remarked, "I applied to this program to develop myself after my shift at Starbucks."

"We will continue to support employees who aspire to pursue their dreams through the Hanyang Cyber University tuition assistance program," said Starbucks Korea CEO Sohn Jeong-hyun in a statement.

By Heo Yu-jeong (yjheo@heraldcorp.com)