This session is part of 2025 Crossover Day. Attendance is open to all SXSW EDU registrants as well as all SXSW registrants. As always, SXSW strongly believes in the power of mixing creative communities.

Frontline workers represent over 70% of the US workforce, yet are often overlooked when it comes to meaningful investments in learning and development. Additionally, even though 71% of hourly employees are interested in developing new skills, nearly half believe they can’t advance their careers due to being unable to take on student loan debt for additional education. To boost attraction and retention in industries known for high turnover, forward-thinking companies are now offering tailored education benefits, including tuition reimbursement, student loan repayment or even free education.