Arizona restaurant owner offering tuition to attract applicants

PHOENIX — An Arizona restaurant owner is offering to help pay tuition for employees in an effort to entice people to come work for him.

Skyler Reeves, proprietor of the Vivili Hospitality Group in Prescott, said a saturated job market as the country climbs out of the COVID-19 pandemic has made filling openings more challenging than usual, so he’s adjusted his tactics to get more people interested in available positions.

Reeves said he could hire up to 60 people for his five restaurants.

“It checked a couple of boxes and so we thought this is one way that we feel like we can get more applicants in,” Reeves told KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Gaydos and Chad on Tuesday.

Reeves is used to offering incentives, whether that be through gym memberships or cell phones for management.

The idea of helping with tuition was crafted by Reeves after he had conversations with people who wanted to move to Prescott but were intimidated how they’d pay for higher education and a place to live.

Reeves said he understands that not everyone who would take advantage of the tuition help would stay with the company long term.

Regardless, he’s hoping the incentive will boost his chances of gaining high-quality employees.

“We want everyone in our company to know that there’s various different purposes and many different reasons to work here,” Reeves said. “You know, being a busser or a server isn’t the end game for some people.

“We know that and if we help them progress in life, otherwise, then that’s another great thing that our company is doing.”

Follow @DannyShapiro13