Chris McClosky (left) of Somerdale and Stephanie Schotter of Magnolia work at the Wawa store ont eh Black Horse Pike in Hilltop, Gloucester Township. The two are students at Camden County College and receive tuition reimbursement from wawa.

By JEANNE RIDGWAY
Courier-Post staff

Taking a sales job at a Wawa convenience store put Virginia Mears on the fast track toward a career she never regrets.

That was 13 years ago, and today, Mears, 41, continues to work for Wawa as the company's employment recruiter for Ocean County's 65 stores.

Her days behind the cash register are over but Mears still finds herself selling. Today, Mears works to sell Wawa's reputation to potential employees.

“It changed me totally. It gave me a life. Wawa enabled me to become an independent woman,” said Mears, a native of Jamaica who had previous jobs in housekeeping and geriatric nursing care.

Mears' story is not uncommon at Wawa, where employees frequently advance through the ranks from entry-level sales associate positions.

In addition to advancement opportunities, the company seeks to retain workers by offering several educational inducements for those employed a minimum of 24 hours per week. In 2000, Wawa paid college tuition totaling $868,000 for 350 employees.

Under tuition reimbursement, employees may major in any subject of their choice. The deal is even sweeter for company managers -- providing they major in business management or food marketing. Their tuition is free.

Wawa students are not required to remain with the company once their education is complete.

“Employees generally like to work for a company that gives them a chance to expand their horizons. A happy employee is generally one that will stay and become more valuable,” said Chris Biddle, vice president of communications at the New Jersey Business and Industry Association in Trenton. Many New Jersey companies offer employees some sort of college tuition reimbursement, he said.

A Wawa employee for half of her 36 years, Patty Welch of Downington, Pa., is climbing the corporate ladder while receiving reimbursement for her college education.

Like so many others, Welch's Wawa career started with a part-time sales associate position. Today, she directs the company's dairy warehouse and distribution center in Wawa, Pa.

“Wawa wants to be an employer of choice. They are willing to develop their people and strive to promote from within when they can. If you offer employees growth within the organization, there's no reason for them to leave,” she said.

Welch, who worked for a time as the company's employee staffing director, earned her master's degree in industrial psychology from St. Joseph's University in Philadelphia. On May 18, she will graduate from the Widener School of Law in Wilmington, Del. Wawa picked up the tab for both programs based on Welch's exceptional performance within the company.

Still an undergraduate, Stephanie Schotter, 20, is wasting no time tapping into the Wawa tuition reimbursement account. Last year, the Magnolia resident received $1,800 toward course costs at Camden County College. She is majoring in dental hygiene. Generally, educational benefits for full-time Wawa employees increase to $5,600 per year.

Schotter started her Wawa career as an apprentice sales associate but has advanced to customer service leader at the Gloucester Township store.

“Part of the reason I took this promotion is it made me eligible for more tuition reimbursement,” she said.

A privately held corporation, Wawa opened its first convenience store in 1964 in Folsom, Pa. Today, Wawa owns more than 500 stores in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland and Virginia. It employs a work force of 13,000 and is known for its full-service deli and brewed coffee. It sells 125 million cups of coffee a year.

The company also offers other employee benefits including a 401(K) savings plan and health benefits for both full- and part-time associates.