Full- or part-time hourly Amazon employees in Ventura County are now eligible to receive pre-paid tuition to take classes at CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI).
That’s because Amazon has selected CSUCI as an Amazon Career Choice, which means employees who have worked for Amazon for at least 90 days can use the Career Choice program to pursue any class, program, certification or academic degree offered at CSUCI.
Full-time Amazon employees are eligible for a maximum tuition benefit of $5,250 per calendar year with no lifetime maximum for as long as that employee works at Amazon. Part-time employees are eligible for a $2,625 benefit, again, with no lifetime maximum.
“Many people can’t afford to go to school right now, so it’s incredible that Amazon is offering this benefit to its employees,” said CSUCI Dean of Extended University Jill Leafstedt, Ph.D., “We are the only four-year public university in Ventura County so how could we not pursue this?”
Amazon rolled out the Career Choice program in 2012 and today, more than 80,000 Amazon employees around the world have already participated in Career Choice.
“We are looking forward to CSUCI coming on board as an education partner for Career Choice, adding hundreds of best-in-class offerings available to our employees,” said Tammy Thieman, Global Program Lead of Amazon’s Career Choice program. “We’re committed to empowering our employees by providing them access to the education and training they need to grow their careers, whether that’s with us or elsewhere.”
Amazon’s selection process for Amazon Career Choice schools and universities is rigorous. According to Amazon’s description of the program, Amazon chooses educational partners who can help employees through their education programs, assisting then with job placements and overall offering education that leads to career success.
“CSUCI is an ideal partner for Amazon Career Choice because we offer flexible programs and classes, establish academic goals, and help them navigate their individual pathway to a degree, certification or new skills,” Leafstedt said. “If the student attends a class or program through Extended University, we can help working Amazon professionals balance their education, work and family responsibilities with offers online, in-person and hybrid classes as well as night and weekend classes.”
CSUCI alumna Cheyenne Mendoza graduated in Spring of 2011 with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and is now a regional manager for Southern California workforce staffing at Amazon. She credits her degree with advancing to a career at Amazon.
“My focus in Business Administration allowed me to expand my knowledge in entrepreneurship, economics and management,” she said. “I was also able to use my management knowledge from the classroom as a student worker on campus and eventually moved into a supervisor role at CSUCI.”
Mendoza encourages Amazon employees to take advantage of this opportunity to reach their highest potential, which Amazon encourages.
“It is very easy to be set up for success in this program with multiple paths for career growth, higher education support, and apprenticeships, certifications, and mentorships,” added Mendoza, who is on the CSUCI alumni board.
For more information on CSUCI's partnership with Amazon Career Choice, visit: https://www.csuci.edu/admissions/amazon-career/index.htm
For more on Amazon Career Choice, visit: https://www.amazoncareerchoice.com
Amazon photo courtesy Getty Images