VCU news

By Shena Crittendon
Strategic Enrollment Management and Student Success

Virginia Commonwealth University has been named a partner in the Amazon Career Choice program, an innovative program designed to upskill Amazon employees so they can pursue career goals at Amazon or elsewhere.

When first created, Amazon’s Career Choice program offered prepaid tuition to hourly employees for training in “high demand” professions. The program was expanded in 2022 to include education partners across the United States. 

For full-time employees who have been with the company for more than 90 days, Amazon now provides up to $5,250 per year for tuition expenses at one of the company’s select partner institutions. Part-time employees are eligible for a benefit of $2,625 per year. There are no lifetime maximums.
Amazon has invested $1.2 billion to assist more than 300,000 of its employees move into higher-paying, in-demand jobs by 2025. Across the country, Amazon has more than 750,000 employees who are eligible to participate in the Career Choice program, including 400,000 who joined the company since the start of the pandemic.

“VCU is committed to the success of all of our students. Many times, that involves helping them overcome financial barriers so they can pursue and achieve their educational goals,” said Tomikia LeGrande, Ed.D., vice president for strategy, enrollment management and student success at VCU. “Our partnership with Amazon is a natural fit and a fantastic opportunity for VCU to help Amazon employees reimagine their career possibilities by completing their bachelor’s degrees. Amazon is helping VCU put the needs of students first.”

VCU underwent a rigorous selection process to become one of Amazon's educational partners.  VCU was chosen based on its focus in areas Amazon views as core: helping students successfully complete degree programs, assisting students with job placements and offering an education that leads to career success. 

All VCU degree programs are eligible for this program.

“We’re looking forward to VCU coming on board as an education partner for Career Choice, adding to the 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. We have intentionally cultivated a partner network of third-party educators and employers committed to providing excellent education, job placement resources, and continuous improvements to the experience.

“Today, over 50,000 Amazon employees around the world have already participated in Career Choice, and we’ve seen firsthand how it can transform their lives.”

Amazon will release the names of other educational partners later this week. 

For more information about VCU’s Amazon Career Choice partnership, visit -  https://adultlearners.vcu.edu/support-and-services/amazon-career-choice/