Amazon is planning to make a multi-million dollar investment to provide post-secondary education and skills to nearly 100,000 of its employees across the nation, the company said in a release.
As a part of Amazon’s Upskilling 2025 pledge, the company will spend more than $700 million on training programs for employees working within its corporate offices, tech hubs, fulfillment centers, retail stores, and transportation networks.
The company will also set up the Amazon Technical Academy which will help non-technical Amazon employees transition to careers in software engineering. Associates working at the fulfillment center will have access to Associate2Tech, a program that will provide them an opportunity to move into technical roles, regardless of their previous IT experience, as well.
“For us, creating these opportunities is just the beginning,” Beth Galetti, senior vice president of HR for Amazon, said. “While many of our employees want to build their careers here, for others it might be a stepping stone to different aspirations. We think it’s important to invest in our employees and to help them gain new skills and create more professional options for themselves. With this pledge, we’re committing to support 100,000 Amazonians in getting the skills to make the next step in their careers.”
The company will also launch a Machine Learning University (MLU), which will help employees with a background in technology and coding gain skills in machine learning. Employees will also be eligible to have 95 percent of their tuition and fees towards a certificate or diploma in qualified fields of study covered by the company.
Furthermore, Amazon will expand its Amazon Apprenticeship and AWS Training and Certification programs. Both programs will provide a combination of immersive learning and on-the-job training opportunities to close the cloud skills gap in the industry.
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