This Walmart Return-To-Work Program Is Aimed at Tech-Savvy Caregivers

Ready to get back into a career after years of caring for your family?

Walmart wants to talk to you. And no, it’s not about a greeter job.

The retail giant announced that its technology division, Walmart Labs, is partnering with the non-profit organization Path Forward to create a paid, 16-week “returnship” — aka return-to-work training program.

The program, which starts this fall, is open to women and men who have at least five years of professional experience and who have been out of the workforce for at least two years due to their caregiving responsibilities.

Available at Walmart’s offices in San Bruno and Sunnyvale, California, the program will offer workshops in areas like software engineering and product management. The company says that participants may be offered jobs after they complete the training.

The return-to-work application is available on pathforward.org, which currently lists seven possible job opportunities, all in the tech field. There’s no indication of the total number of available positions, and Walmart media relations did not respond to requests for information.

The program kicks off in July with Path Forward informational seminars in San Francisco and Palo Alto.

The news of the returnship comes on the heels of Walmart’s announcement that it will begin covering the cost of college for employees who have not received a college degree.

Walmart’s efforts are further evidence that companies are feeling the heat to attract and retain talent — the Labor Department announced the unemployment rate was at 3.8% in May, down from 3.9% in April.

Tiffany Wendeln Connors is a staff writer at The Penny Hoarder.