Best Western Hotels & Resorts and University of Phoenix Partner to Provide Education and Tuition Reductions for Hotel Employees
By University of Phoenix
PHOENIX, August 4, 2016 — Best Western® Hotels & Resorts and University of Phoenix® today announced a partnership that will provide customized hospitality education certificates and tuition reductions to both corporate employees and those employed by Best Western-branded hotels. University of Phoenix has been named a preferred education supplier for Best Western, and is designing customized hospitality certificates with course sequences that reflect the hotel chain’s needs.
“Helping to recruit and retain skilled employees with a passion for the hospitality industry and helping them grow in their careers are critical to delivering exceptional guest experiences,” said Bruce Wienberg, vice president of operations for Best Western Hotels & Resorts. “Best Western strives to be a leader in hospitality workforce development and assist the hotels where we can with their staff skill levels, and the collaboration with University of Phoenix allows us to enhance our educational offerings to ensure they are industry-aligned and relevant for our workforce. With University of Phoenix’s vast alumni network, faculty members who are working in hospitality today and relevant educational programs, we are confident both our corporate and hotel employees will obtain an education that can help them thrive in their careers with Best Western and in the hospitality industry in general.”
University of Phoenix will offer employees reductions on educational programs, including individual courses, certificates and degree programs. Students seeking Hospitality Fundamentals and Hospitality Management certificates will get the sixth and final course free to recognize their achievements. These certificates offered through the partnership also can be earned enroute to an undergraduate degree.
“People are the primary drivers in the service economy, and Best Western has shown an impressive commitment to helping its current and prospective employees acquire the skills needed to compete and be successful in the hospitality sector,” said Ruth Veloria, executive dean, University of Phoenix School of Business. “Our partnership is a great step toward encouraging Best Western corporate employees and the employees of the independently owned and operated hotels to pursue ongoing professional development, and gain the skills needed to continue growing with the company.”
Best Western corporate and hotel employees across Best Western’s more than 4,100 hotels in more than 100 countries will be eligible for tuition reimbursement and reduced tuition to help enhance their hospitality careers. Best Western students will also have an assigned team of service professionals and extensive self-serve resources to help throughout their program progression.
“We hope to inspire high levels of employee engagement and satisfaction at our corporate offices and throughout Best Western-branded properties, and be universally recognized as one of the best companies in hospitality for employee development,” concluded Wienberg.
To learn more about University of Phoenix hospitality programs, visit phoenix.edu/business.
For more information about each of these programs, including on-time completion rates, the median debt incurred by students who completed the program and other important information, please visit: phoenix.edu/programs/gainful-employment.
About Best Western Hotels & Resorts:
Best Western® Hotels & Resorts headquartered in Phoenix, Ariz., is a privately held hotel brand with a global network of 4,100* hotels in more than 100* countries and territories worldwide. Best Western offers seven hotel brands to suit the needs of developers and guests in every market: Best Western®, Best Western Plus®, Best Western Premier®, and Executive Residency by Best Western℠, Vīb ®, BW Premier Collection® and GLō℠. Now celebrating 70 years of hospitality, Best Western provides its hoteliers with global operational, sales and marketing support, and online and mobile booking capabilities. More than 26 million travelers are members of the brand’s award-winning loyalty program Best Western Rewards®, one of the few programs in which members earn points that never expire and can be redeemed at any Best Western hotel worldwide.
* Numbers are approximate, may fluctuate, and include hotels currently in the development pipeline.
About University of Phoenix
University of Phoenix is constantly innovating to help working adults move efficiently from education to careers in a rapidly changing world. Flexible schedules, relevant and engaging courses, and interactive learning can help students more effectively pursue career and personal aspirations while balancing their busy lives. As a subsidiary of Apollo Education Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: APOL), University of Phoenix serves a diverse student population, offering associate, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs from campuses and learning centers across the U.S. as well as online throughout the world. For more information, visit www.phoenix.edu.
