File photoMore than 1,000 local Amazon employees can now receive tuition assistance at Wichita State University through the Amazon Career Choice program.
Every full-time Amazon employee is now eligible for $5,250 of tuition assistance per calendar year at WSU. Part-time employees are eligible for $2,625 per calendar year. The Amazon Career Choice program is a tuition assistance program for hourly employees who have been employed for 90-plus days
“We’re thrilled to be the only four-year Kansas university partner in Amazon’s Career Choice network,” said Bobby Gandu, Wichita State assistant vice president of strategic enrollment management. “With a vast array of class locations and times — from main campus to satellite campuses to online learning options — we’re excited to meet the needs of the busy schedules of the Amazon team members.”
The money can be used for tuition (credit bearing, undergraduate courses only), fees and books. A designated Wichita State staff member will work with students. Approximately 1,000 local employees are eligible.
“Wichita State has had a long history of being the educational leader for our local adult workforce,” Gandu said. “This new partnership with one of our city’s largest employers strengthens our commitment to the community’s professionals who are looking to advance their careers.”
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 United States, 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.
“We’re looking forward to Wichita State University 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.”
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.
“This partnership should stretch beyond classes, giving their staff new connections to their hometown university,” Gandu said. “We’ll urge the Amazon team members who choose to be Shockers to take full advantage of our outside-the-classroom experiences — from library access to a Greater Wichita YMCA membership to tickets to all home NCAA athletic competitions and fine arts events.”
