Medtronic Provides New Pathways to Debt-Free Education

Innovation begins with ideas, vision, and — most importantly — people. Medtronic Chairman and CEO Geoff Martha calls innovation “a people-powered business.”

This year, new pathways to education and career development will open the door for more people to join Medtronic and innovate. Medtronic Advancement Pathways and Skill-building— or MAPS — is a powerful new program for individuals in the U.S. and Puerto Rico to take control of their education and career development.

The goal of MAPS is to remove barriers to online undergraduate education for current and future employees. The program pays 100% of tuition directly to the academic institution, allowing employees to pursue their academic goals without needing to cover the cost of courses up-front.

Martha believes MAPS will give employees opportunities to gain new skills that they can apply to their work at Medtronic.

“We want Medtronic to be a place where people come to develop, grow, and thrive — both personally and professionally,” he said. “MAPS directly supports this aspiration by allowing employees to participate in the program on their first day with Medtronic — no strings attached.”

MAPS empowers individuals, offering them more than 75 online undergraduate degree programs to choose from that are specifically designed for working adults. The new benefit bolsters the company’s commitment to inclusion, diversity, and equity.

“We have a culture where all employees belong, are respected, and feel valued,” said Chief Inclusion and Diversity Officer Dr. Sally Saba. “We recognize that different people face different barriers on their journey, and for many, earning a degree leads to meaningful personal and professional growth.”

MAPS builds on the company’s current Tuition Reimbursement Program, extending the opportunity to obtain a college degree to even more individuals.

“This will broaden economic opportunities for individuals who don’t have traditional college degrees,” said Dr. Saba.

Through MAPS, Medtronic employees may apply to top-tier education programs from the following universities:

• Arizona State University
• City University of New York School of Professional Studies (CUNY SPS)
• Universidad Tecmilenio
• University of Memphis Global
• University of Virginia School of Continuing and Professional Studies (UVA SCPS)
• University of Wisconsin-Madison

Read more about Medtronic's Inclusion, Diversity & Equity efforts.