Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer joined UPS Vice President Tracy Roberts and representatives from the University of Louisville and Jefferson Community and Technical College at UPS Worldport today to ceremonially sign a memorandum of association (MOA) for extension of the Metropolitan College program. This partnership provides Metro College participants with employment and tuition-free educational opportunities.

“Lifelong learning is one of our city’s core values, and with programs like UPS’ Metro College, we are leading the way in preparing our young people for successful careers while building a stronger economy,” said the Mayor. “Metropolitan College has had a tremendous impact on the city of Louisville, and today’s signing recognizes the value of this longstanding partnership with one of Louisville’s largest employers and the value of workforce development and post-secondary education.”

The new MOA extends the program to April 15, 2027, and under the extension, Metro College will be more intentional in encouraging students to consider careers in high-demand fields and improving career pipeline opportunities. The high-demand fields will be defined by local economic trends, growth opportunities and employer needs. Current fields include computer science and engineering, computer information systems, finance, accounting, and other degrees and certificates offered at UofL and JCTC.

Metro College began in 1998 as a partnership between the Commonwealth of Kentucky, Louisville Metro Government, JCTS, UofL and UPS. Metro College provides access to tuition-free post-secondary education and employment opportunities. The program aims to improve employee recruitment and retention at UPS Worldport, the global package delivery company’s international all-points air hub.

“The extension of the Metropolitan College program is critical for UPS and helps to ensure the longevity of this great example of public-private collaboration,” said UPS President Brendan Canavan. “We look forward to continuing to provide educational and job opportunities in the city of Louisville and Commonwealth of Kentucky for years to come.”

According to UPS, more than 20,000 students have participated in the program (at least one semester) since 1998. Enrollment for the 2018 – 2019 academic year was 2,313.

In all, 5,942 Metro College students have earned 10,050 degrees and certifications. Students from more than 100 Kentucky counties have participated. The program has improved UPS employee retention by 80 percent.

UPS works with a coalition of local companies to identify degree tracks with good employment possibilities and works with these companies to place students in full-time jobs once they graduate.

According to economic analysis by Meench and Shanker, LLC, UPS is responsible for bringing 62,000 direct and indirect jobs to Kentucky – 57,000 of those jobs are in Louisville and surrounding counties. Those jobs represent a payroll of $2.5 billion annually. UPS Worldport turns over cargo for 130 aircraft a day, connecting Louisville to 220 countries and territories. The facility employs nearly 12,000 full-and part-time people. UPS employs over 29,000 full- and part-time workers statewide.

Visit https://metro-college.com/ to learn more about Metro College.