Key takeaways
- Over 700,000 employees have been upskilled globally, including front-line hourly employees in fulfillment centers.
- New robotics and engineer apprenticeship programs help boost participants’ skill sets and earnings.
- Amazon's Career Choice now offers higher annual tuition limits and covers up to 100% of costs for employees in Europe.
Supporting our employees' career growth isn't just a priority—it's a cornerstone to our philosophy. In keeping with our commitment to help employees pursue more skilled and higher-earning roles, Amazon is announcing it has upskilled over 700,000 Amazon employees globally, including front-line hourly employees in fulfillment centers and delivery stations.
Amazon is also enhancing its Career Choice education program globally, making it more accessible to employees. Additionally, we’re launching new robotics apprenticeship programs in the U.S. equipping our team with the skills needed for an AI-driven future.
Expanding Career Choice benefits
Amazon’s flagship education program, Career Choice, helps hourly employees develop new skills for in-demand fields. It is currently being offered in the U.S., Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, France, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Czechia, South Africa, Slovakia, and Costa Rica. Since its launch, more than 250,000 employees—100,000 in 2024 alone—have participated in Career Choice, including training for roles such as aircraft mechanics, commercial truck drivers, IT support specialists, software developers, and more.
Beginning August 2025 and following country-specific employee-representative engagement and implementation processes, Amazon plans to expand its Career Choice offerings across the U.S., Europe, and South Africa. The enhanced program supports employees’ career aspirations, whether they decide to stay at Amazon or go elsewhere.
The enhanced program, which varies by country, includes:
- Prepaying up to 100% of tuition fees
Amazon is eliminating the 5% employee contribution requirement for all programs. We’re also increasing the annual maximum the company will cover each year in some countries. This will help reduce out-of-pocket costs for employees. - Creating limitless learning opportunities
Amazon front-line employees have access to annual funds for education as long as they remain at the company in an eligible role, with no limit to the number of years they can benefit. - Providing additional pathways and partners
Amazon continues to offer additional education programs across in-demand career paths through educational partnerships. There are now over 85 European and over 500 U.S. education partners, giving employees flexible access to in-person, online, or group learning options.
New robotics training and apprenticeship programs
Data from a 2024 MIT survey showed that 60% of employees who have interacted with robotics and AI expect positive impacts on their safety, career development, and overall productivity. We believe the way forward lies in empowering our workforce to grow alongside these advancements in AI and robotics through apprenticeships.
In the U.S., programs like the Mechatronics and Robotics Apprenticeship—a paid program that combines classroom learning with on-the-job training for technician roles—have been very successful. Participants receive a nearly 23% wage increase after completing classroom instruction and an additional 26% increase after on-the-job training. On average, graduates earn up to $21,500 more annually compared to the typical wage for an entry-level fulfillment center role.
After seeing employees’ successes through this program, we’re expanding our apprenticeship efforts in a few ways, including:
- A new Automation Engineer Apprenticeship program
We’re rolling out a new apprenticeship registered with the U.S. Department of Labor. This program combines classroom teaching with hands-on experience to train future automation experts. Participants will learn from expert trainers, gain hands-on experience at Amazon fulfillment centers, and receive competitive pay and benefits. - West Coast Maintenance Apprenticeship Hub
We’re also partnering with Bakersfield College to launch the West Coast Maintenance Apprenticeship Hub, Amazon's premier training center in the region. The program offers technical training and hands-on experience for successful careers in Amazon's fulfillment and logistics network, supporting workforce development and technical education in local communities.
Removing barriers to education
We can’t build these programs alone. Employee feedback plays a crucial role in how we develop and expand our curriculums—and we’ve done just that in the U.S. In 2022, employees told us they were interested in foundational skills like English language learning, high school completion, and GED programs. Our teams promptly set to work to provide access to those types of programs.
Since then, more than 8,000 employees have graduated with their GED, over 2,000 have secured their high school diplomas through Career Choice, and over 25,000 employees in the U.S. have participated in English language proficiency programs. We believe that regular inspection of our offerings, coupled with employee feedback, has made Career Choice an impactful program.
Amazon’s upskilling programs have already benefited hundreds of thousands of people globally—but we’re just getting started. As technology transforms industries and new skills become an essential part of our workflow, we will continue to evolve our education benefits and training offerings. Our goal remains clear: to ensure our employees are equipped not just for tomorrow’s challenges, but for opportunities not yet imagined.
Trending news and stories
