A new partnership between Uber and Arizona State University covers tuition for drivers. The results have been dramatic.
Nailah Williams discovered her path to a college degree in the most unlikely place: behind the wheel of her Uber.
After years of jobs that forced her to choose between earning a paycheck and pursuing an education, she joined a program where Uber would cover her tuition for online classes at Arizona State University (ASU), where I teach. Created in 2018, the program covers tuition at ASU for drivers anywhere in the U.S. (or their beneficiary such as a child, spouse, or parent) who had completed at least 3,000 rides and met the rating requirements.
The magic ingredient bringing college within reach for these students wasn’t just free tuition. It was flexibility. In a survey we conducted, program participants were three times as likely to say they’d enroll in college if work was flexible and classes were online than with traditional, rigid schedules.
With the newfound flexibility to work and study when she wanted, Nailah was able to complete a degree in urban planning while supporting herself and her family.
Read the complete Fast Company article BY Esteban Aucejo: https://www.fastcompany.com/91383965/gig-work-could-be-the-secret-to-expanding-college-access
