Papa John’s is on a hiring spree again, looking to add 10,000 more employees after bringing on 20,000 new workers since March to meet growing demand for delivery and carryout.
In a press release, the company said it will hire managers, delivery drivers, pizza makers, shift leads and customer service representatives for stores around the country.
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“As seen in our April North America comparable sales, after the close of the first quarter, unprecedented numbers of families are relying on Papa John’s,” Papa John’s CEO Rob Lynch said in an earnings report. “We are rising to this challenge, hiring thousands of new team members, safeguarding our supply chain and carefully managing our finances.”
To entice new workers to come on board, Papa John’s said it will expand its Dough & Degrees program, which provides college tuition benefits to employees and their families. The program now includes Southern New Hampshire University and the University of Maryland Global Campus, along with its first partner, Purdue University Global. The chain provides reduced college tuition options to both corporate and franchise employees who take online classes—both undergraduate and graduate level—from these schools. The benefits are also available to employees’ immediate family members.
“We want to make it quick and simple for team members to join Papa John’s and immediately begin earning an income. An added benefit is access to a long-term pathway toward sustained personal and professional growth,” said Marvin Boakye, Papa John’s chief people and diversity officer.
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“COVID-19 has changed how we live, work and learn,” he added. “With this significant expansion to our first-of-its-kind college tuition program, our team members will have the opportunity to earn not only a paycheck, but also a college degree.”
This year has seen a remarkable turnaround, driven in large part by increased demand for delivered pizza due to the pandemic, for the once-struggling chain. Less than two years ago, Papa John’s announced it was cutting back on franchisee royalties and other fees to help them cope with plummeting sales.
