UAGC and Aon expand apprenticeship and tuition benefits

The University of Arizona Global Campus and Aon are widening a workforce development partnership that pairs apprenticeships with reduced tuition for employees and family members. The effort is designed to expand access to careers, support upskilling, and give Aon workers more education options.

Why it matters: - The partnership links education directly to job pathways for early-career workers and current employees. - The apprenticeship model aims to lower barriers to professional roles while adding hands-on experience and academic credentials. - The expanded tuition benefit gives Aon employees and their families a lower-cost route to degree programs that can support career growth.

What happened: - The University of Arizona Global Campus and Aon expanded their workforce development partnership on Oct. 6, 2026. - UAGC launched a new apprenticeship program model that welcomed its first cohort in August 2026. - UAGC will support participants in Aon’s two-year apprenticeship program with educational services. - The program combines on-the-job training, academic coursework, mentorship and professional development. - UAGC also expanded access to reduced tuition rates for eligible Aon employees and their immediate family members.

The details: - The apprenticeship is designed to create an alternative pathway into professional careers. - The model is intended to help participants build practical workplace experience while earning academic credentials. - Eligible Aon employees and immediate family members can use the tuition savings benefit across a range of online degree programs. - The tuition benefit is meant to make career-relevant education more accessible and affordable. - The program is built to offer flexibility for people balancing school with work and family responsibilities. - UAGC offers more than 50 associate, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs delivered through accelerated online classes.

Between the lines: - The partnership reflects a broader shift toward employer-linked education programs that aim to solve talent shortages and employee upskilling at the same time. - Aon framed the collaboration around preparing workers for an AI-enabled economy, signaling that the company sees adaptability and digital fluency as key hiring needs. - For UAGC, the agreement reinforces a mission centered on flexible, workforce-aligned education for working adults and nontraditional learners. - The collaboration also deepens the link between higher education and retention by extending benefits to employees’ families, not just workers themselves.

What's next: - UAGC and Aon are expected to continue building the apprenticeship pipeline and expanding educational access for eligible employees and families. - The first apprenticeship cohort will move through the two-year program with academic and workplace support. - More workers may use the tuition benefit as they pursue degrees alongside their jobs.

The bottom line: - UAGC and Aon are pairing paid work experience with education benefits to create a more direct route from learning to employment and advancement.