Today, we are excited to announce a new pilot program to expand educational opportunities for driver-partners in the Greater Pittsburgh area by teaming up with the Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC). In the upcoming Spring and Summer 2018 semesters, qualifying drivers will each have access to $500 in financial incentives, applicable toward tuition, fees, and textbooks for courses at CCAC.

“We are delighted to partner with Uber to make possible opportunities for people in our region. Providing the skills needed to succeed in today’s economy is one of our greatest challenges, and one that CCAC is working on every day. I appreciate Uber’s partnership in moving our region forward.”

–County Executive Rich Fitzgerald

“Through this unique partnership, CCAC and Uber are expanding educational opportunities for industry professionals—providing the region’s driver-partners the chance to increase their knowledge and skills in order to continue to succeed in today’s increasingly competitive workplace. We look forward to welcoming driver-partners to CCAC—whether as members of our robust online student body or in person at one of our many locations throughout Allegheny and Washington counties.”

–CCAC President Dr. Quintin Bullock

“This is exactly the kind of workforce development model I’ve long championed for drivers, and I hope others follow Uber’s lead with this important pilot program. We need to keep our focus on making sure everyone has opportunities in the 21st Century economy.”

–Mayor William Peduto

Today, the greatest barrier for many of those taking courses at CCAC is not tuition itself—thanks to the school’s affordable tuition and existing financial aid program—but rather the cost of textbooks and some fees which may be required for each course. This new program is focused on addressing those needs specifically for the local driver community.

As course registration for the Spring 2018 semester gets underway, we will contact eligible drivers with information about the program and how to indicate their interest in participating. Under this pilot program, fifty drivers will be able to access the tuition incentives for the Spring 2018 semester, and another fifty will have access during the Summer 2018 semester.

With the ability to create a flexible working schedule that fits around academic obligations, Pittsburgh drivers are ideally situated to take advantage of the opportunities provided by CCAC. Nearly 90 percent of those surveyed in the United States said that flexibility is the number one reason they drive with Uber, and more than 10 percent self-identified as students.

We are excited to team up with CCAC to empower drivers and help them attain their goals through access to higher education, and we hope this pilot program can be the model for future investments in Allegheny County.