Starbucks, which is the largest coffeehouse company in the world, with 23,187 stores in 64 countries, is offering its workers _1_ college degrees.
Any of the company's135,000 employees who work at least 20 hours per week will soon be able to _2_ college at Arizona State University (ASU) Online. Starbucks employees can choose among 40 online courses, _3_ from retail management to electrical engineering.
Starbucks CEO Howard Schult said, "I could care less about marketing. This is not about PR". He also explained that employers won't be _4_ to stay with the company in exchange for their education.
Tuition for an online degree at ASU runs about $10,000 per year, though in many situations this cost will be paid the government, as many workers will likely qualify for grants, which can be _5_ up to $5,730 annually.
Starbucks employees will be _6_ to enrol in the programme from August, with online classes starting in October.
Other Key Words
Degrees - A degree is the qualification that is awarded after a student has completed a university course.
Employees - People who work at a company; workers.
Retail management - A course that teaches you how to run a shop i.e. be a store manager.
PR - Public Relations. A company's reputation with the public.
Tuition - The cost of a course.
Grants - Money given by the government to pay for an individual's education. Grants can also be paid to organisations for aid, building and so on.
Enrol - (USA: Enroll) To register/sign up for something.
Now choose the correct missing words to complete the text:
