Pre-paid tuition reimbursements: Amazon names local college as Career Choice partner
Amazon has named Daytona State College as one of its Career Choice program partners, providing hourly employees an opportunity to receive a pre-paid college tuition reimbursement.
More than 130,000 Amazon employees have participated in the program since 2012. And with the company expanding its footprint in Daytona Beach, it extended the program to the local state college.
"Amazon is a significant and growing employer in the community and the company's Career Choice program is a remarkable opportunity for its employees to learn new skills and further their education," said Tom LoBasso, DSC's president.
Since 2019, Amazon has opened a last-mile delivery center on Mason Avenue in Daytona Beach and a 1.4-million square-foot fulfillment center employing more than 1,500 workers in Deltona. More is on the way.
The company is hoping to open a 2.8-million square-foot robotic fulfillment center near the Daytona International Speedway by the end of this year. The city of Daytona Beach offered more than $4 million in incentives if the company delivers on a promise to create 1,000 or more jobs paying at least $15/hour by 2028. And Amazon has begun construction on a 1-million square-foot logistics facility near Interstate 4 in Deltona.
In addition to college tuition, Career Choice offers employees the chance to gain industry certifications, English language proficiency, high school diplomas and G.E.D.s.
The company is investing $1.2 billion in the program to help 300,000 worker gain skills to advance their careers at Amazon or elsewhere.
Career Choice selects partner schools through a "rigorous" process to determine schools that help employees through their education programs and job placement, while offering programs that lead to career success.
"We're looking forward to Daytona State College 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, director of Career Development Programs at Amazon. “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."
Other Florida schools in the program include the University of Florida online, University of Central Florida, Florida International University, Florida Gulf Coast University, Florida Southern College in Lakeland, Florida State College in Jacksonville and Valencia College in Orlando.
Editor's note: This story has been updated to clarify that while Team Volusia, the local economic-development private-public partnership, was involved in recruiting Amazon, it was the city of Daytona Beach that offered $4 million in incentives.
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This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: How will Volusia Amazon workers be helped by College Choice program?
