Stark State will provide Amazon hourly employees access to more than 200 associate degrees and certificates
The Career Choice program provides full tuition to learn new skills for career success at Amazon or elsewhere

(North Canton, OH – March 10, 2022) – Stark State College has been selected as an education partner for Amazon’s Career Choice program, providing Amazon’s hourly employees access to more than 200 associate degrees and certificates.

“We are delighted to partner with Amazon to provide Amazon’s employees with high-quality, convenient educational programs leading to in-demand careers and university transfer,” said Stark State President Para M. Jones, Ph.D. “With programs and campuses in Summit and Stark counties, we provide easy access for Amazon employees in the region. We have small class sizes and student-centered faculty who understand the needs of working adult students.

“In addition, Stark State offers excellent online and hybrid (partially online) courses and programs for the convenience of working adults. In fact, U.S. News & World Report listed Stark State as one of the best online colleges and universities in 2022.”

Stark State College graduates receive a high-quality education at an affordable cost. The fourth largest of the 23 public two-year colleges in Ohio, the College offers associate degrees and certificates in business, education, engineering technologies, health and public services, information technology, liberal arts, mathematics and sciences.

Amazon’s Career Choice program is an education benefit that empowers employees to learn new skills for career success at Amazon or elsewhere. The program meets individual learners where they are on their education journey through a variety of education and upskilling opportunities including full college tuition, industry certifications designed to lead to in-demand jobs, and foundational skills such as English language proficiency, high school diplomas and GEDs.

In the U.S., the company is investing $1.2 billion to upskill more than 300,000 employees by 2025 to help move them into higher-paying, in-demand jobs.

The Career Choice program, launched in 2012, is live in 14 countries: U.S., Canada, United Kingdom., Germany, Spain, France, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Czech Republic, South Africa, Costa Rica, Slovakia and Australia. More than 50,000 Amazon employees have participated globally since inception, including more than 35,000 in the U.S. Healthcare, transportation and information technology are the most popular fields of study globally and more than half of Amazon Career Choice participants identify as Black, Hispanic or Native American.

Amazon’s Career Choice program has a rigorous selection process for third-party partner educators, choosing partners that are focused on helping employees through their education programs, assisting them with job placements, and overall offering education that leads to career success.

“We’re looking forward to Stark 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, 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 first-hand how it can transform their lives.”

The Career Choice program

• launched in 2012.
• is live in 14 countries: U.S., Canada, United Kingdom., Germany, Spain, France, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Czech Republic, South Africa, Costa Rica, Slovakia and Australia.
• has had more than 50,000 Amazon employees participate globally since inception, including more than 35,000 in the U.S.
• has found that healthcare, transportation and information technology are the most popular fields of study globally.
• More than half of Amazon Career Choice participants identify as Black, Hispanic or Native American.

For more information on Amazon’s Career Choice, visit: www.aboutamazon.com/news/workplace/career-choice.

For more information on Stark State College, visit www.starkstate.edu.