At CVS, education benefits strengthen talent pipelines

• Key insight: Learn how CVS Health is aligning its learning investments with future-specific business capabilities.
• Expert quote: “Many of the biggest workforce challenges in today’s healthcare industry … cannot be solved through recruitment alone.” – Shannon Dillon, senior director of corporate communications, CVS Health
• Support data: In the last 12 months, 70,000 employees have moved to different positions in the company.
  Source: AI generated bullets with editorial review.

Content processing

Benefits of education and professional development Employees generally appreciate them, but companies can reap longer-term payoffs by matching these offers to the skills their employees need to drive their business forward.

That’s CVS Health’s strategy, where keeping up with the fast-moving health care industry is table stakes, said Shannon Dillon, the company’s senior director of corporate communications.

“For example, from new technologies like AI to evolving customer, patient and member expectations, this requires a workforce that can adapt quickly, build new skills and lead through transformation,” he said. “We’re making development a more intentional part of how we attract, grow and retain talent, aligning learning investments to the skills CVS Health needs… now and in the future.”

Dillon shared more information about specific default roles, how that strategy works must be reportedand why training internal talent it makes the most business sense. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

What are some of the areas the company is targeting through internal education and upward mobility?
Pharmacists and pharmacy technicians: We’re investing in the next generation (of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians) through rotational programs, scholarships, residencies and continuing education opportunities, such as our new online pre-pharmacy degree with WGU, powered by Bright Horizons EdAssist.

CVS Pharmacy and Duquesne University have launched the Tuition Advantage Program to help make pharmacy education more affordable. CVS Pharmacy associates can earn an online Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree through Duquesne at 50% off tuition. Combined with CVS Health’s … PharmD tuition assistance benefit of up to $20,000 and corporate tuition assistance, the program can significantly reduce the cost of earning a pharmacy degree.

nursing: The Nurse Leadership Development Program (NLDP) is a corporate leadership development program sponsored by the Office of the Chief Nursing Officer. Through curriculum-based learning, mentoring, professional networking, peer collaboration, and a capstone project, participants strengthen leadership skills, broaden their business perspective, and develop the skills to drive meaningful change at CVS Health.

Read more: Rising health care costs are prompting employers to rethink their benefits strategies

Customer Service and Operations: At NextStep at Aetna, we’re creating accessible pathways for customer service and operational roles, a new training facility, partnerships with academic institutions, and approximately 76,000 hours over three years.

AI: Our AI Learning Academy… is focused on helping colleagues develop AI literacy and confidence with training tailored to business needs and responsible and meaningful use.

Community-rooted pathways to healthcare and retail careers: By joining forces with local labor organizations and nonprofits that address social assistance gaps (such as food insecurity and housing), we connect people with job training, vocational education and support services through our workforce initiatives. These programs empower people to fill in-demand positions such as pharmacy technicians and retail supervisors, paving the way for a healthy future for themselves and their families.

Internships and leadership development programs: (These) across corporate, retail and clinical roles and help early career colleagues develop skills and gain experience to help prepare them for future opportunities. The one-year retention rate for corporate interns who joined CVS Health full-time after graduation is 96% – well above the industry benchmark (70%) – our Leadership Development Program’s five-year post-program retention is 80% (nearly) the industry benchmark of 60%.

Read more: Benefits that keep high performers, part 1

When employers offer these types of benefits, how should they explain their intentions to employees? How does this build trust and retention?
Transparency is key – be clear about what potential opportunities are out there and where they might lead. When colleagues understand how a program can help prepare them for future roles or advancement, it feels more tangible. It also indicates that the company is investing in its future.

Why is this approach to fulfilling essential roles good for both employers and employees?
With more than 70,000 colleagues moving into new roles in the past 12 months, we’re helping colleagues explore career paths, apply new skills and create experiences that strengthen retention, engagement and future readiness.

Many of the biggest workforce challenges in today’s healthcare industry—such as adopting AI or filling specialized healthcare services—cannot be solved through recruitment alone. Companies need to build these capabilities internally. This is where training and retraining play an important role.