Creating More Career Opportunities in Our Home State – And Beyond

By Julie Gehrki, President, Walmart Foundation, and Senior Vice President, Philanthropy, Walmart, Inc.

Walmart has had a special relationship with the state of Arkansas since Sam Walton opened his first Ben Franklin variety store chain in Newport in 1945. We serve customers in 19 different countries, but Arkansas is our home – the state and company have grown together over these past six decades.

We believe we can positively impact communities around the country by leveraging the strength of our business and philanthropy to enhance opportunity. That’s why our Walmart.org team is thrilled to support the state of Arkansas in launching Arkansas LAUNCH – a one-of-a-kind job and training marketplace built with a skills-first approach. In addition to working with the state, this project was brought to life through some of the nation’s leading nonprofit organizations like Research Improving People’s Lives (RIPL), Credential Engine and more.

Arkansas LAUNCH is designed to benefit not only our home state but also to serve as a model for how employees can match with the best roles offered by employers.

For workers, the platform considers their verified credentials, self-reported skills, and publicly available information to deliver targeted job recommendations. LAUNCH will also identify non-degree credentials, training and development opportunities that can help workers pursue new jobs and careers.

For employers, LAUNCH offers access to a pool of qualified talent pool, bolstering Arkansas’s skills-first workforce. Ultimately, we seek to support a platform which can grow the state’s economy, a win-win for all.

While we’re focusing on our home region with LAUNCH, locking arms with the state of Arkansas is just one piece of the puzzle. We’re proud to collaborate with other states leading the skills-first movement, such as Alabama, Indiana and Colorado. Under the leadership of governors, LAUNCH can serve as an example to positively impact our communities by helping workers with in-demand job skills find personalized opportunities. We’re also working with other large employers to create a skills-based hiring framework for the most common U.S. jobs across industries.

Walmart’s commitment to helping people live better runs deep. Over the last five years, Walmart and the Walmart Foundation have invested close to $160 million to accelerate career mobility for frontline workers.

We’re deeply invested in the future of Arkansas and beyond. Through initiatives like Arkansas LAUNCH, we’re committed to creating more opportunities for workers and employers, strengthening communities and building an economy for the future of work. Together, we can build a brighter future for all.