Shawnta Rhodes – Savannah, GA

In Search of What’s Next, LBU Offers Options

At Walmart Store 605 in Savannah, Georgia, one associate is chasing the next step to her goals.

Shawnta Rhodes is a department manager in Electronics, who is making use of Walmart’s education benefit, Live Better U, to get her high school diploma. She says that the program offers unique advantages to traditional schooling, like self-pacing options and a comprehensive curriculum.

"One of the earliest courses I took was aimed at helping with these skills that just make you better at whatever you’re doing," Shawnta said. "It was on speaking, having conversations, and really just working toward developing your social skills."

Through her time in LBU, Shawnta said she’s been able to work on her confidence as a leader, but also to chase the next steps in her career.

"I think furthering my education has definitely helped make me a better manager at Walmart," Shawnta said. But her ultimate ambition? Health care. "I want to do something in the health care field ultimately, because at the end of the day, I just love helping people."

Shawnta said that the aspects of LBU she enjoyed most were those many students talk about: the flexibility and affordability. But she also mentioned something else, her mentor Jen, who is assigned by Guild Education, Walmart’s education partner in LBU.

"Guild assigned me a mentor named Jen, and she calls me once a month to check in on me," Shawnta said. "That kind of discussion about the pace of learning and how you’re doing in classes – it’s so helpful to me."

Shawnta’s experience is proof positive that great careers are always within reach, but that there’s also value in chasing whatever’s next.