Amazon has announced an expansion of its Career Choice program, which provides pre-paid education and training for hourly employees. This initiative is part of the company's ongoing investment in workforce upskilling, as shared in a blog post on Amazon's website.
According to Amazon, the Career Choice program is designed to pre-pay tuition for hourly employees seeking credentials in fields such as healthcare, information technology (IT), and transportation. The benefit is offered in 14 countries and includes partnerships with over 600 educational institutions. The company reports that more than 200,000 employees have participated globally since the program's inception.
In its 2022 announcement, Amazon said it has committed $1.2 billion to upskill 300,000 employees by 2025 through its Upskilling 2025 pledge. This investment supports programs like Career Choice, which offers college tuition and technical training for front-line workers. The company also reported constructing more than 145 on-site classrooms in fulfillment centers across 35 U.S. states.
Amazon says that hourly employees in the U.S. receive comprehensive benefits starting on day one of employment. These include medical, dental, and vision care, a 401(k) plan with company match, and up to 20 weeks of paid parental leave. In 2022, Amazon reported a starting wage of $19 per hour for warehouse workers and access to training programs such as Career Choice.
According to its official website, Amazon is a multinational technology and retail company headquartered in Seattle, Washington. The company operates in e-commerce, cloud computing through Amazon Web Services (AWS), consumer electronics, logistics, and digital streaming. It employs hundreds of thousands of workers globally across its fulfillment network and corporate divisions.