Walmart’s optician program could show HR a new path out of the talent crunch

“When associates can learn new skills, earn recognized credentials and gain experience in growing fields, they prepare for their next job, and they build careers that can grow with them,” said Donna Morris, Executive Vice President and Chief People Officer at Walmart Inc.

Building the pipeline before the crisis hits

This isn’t a one-off experiment. Walmart has been building a suite of internal career pathway programs, including Associate to Technician and Associate to Driver. Its technician program, launched in 2024, has expanded nationwide after a pilot in Dallas. Around 75% of technician work is now done in-house, and more than 600 associates have participated. Separately, the company is raising pay for its maintenance technicians by approximately 40%, from a range of $19 to $35 per hour up to $26 to $51 per hour.

Morris framed the broader investment in explicitly strategic terms. The company employs more than 1.6 million people in the U.S., and 75% of its salaried managers started as hourly associates. “Career growth isn’t the exception here,” she said. “It’s part of who we are.”

Other employers are sitting on the same opportunity. A growing body of evidence shows employers are missing out on talent they already have, often because they lack the systems to identify and mobilize internal skills. According to a 2026 report by TalentLMS, 50% of employees believe their company hires externally for skills that already exist internally.

A replicable model for other industries?

Employer-funded, earn-while-you-learn programs consistently outperform external recruitment as a talent pipeline strategy. Apprenticeships and structured internal training programs have shown consistent results across healthcare, skilled trades, and technology, yet remain underused outside their traditional sectors.