CCRI Selected by Amazon as an Education Partner for Career Choice Program

CCRI will provide Amazon hourly employees with access to more than 90 degree and certificate programs in high-wage, high-demand industries for free.

Work/life/education balance has always remained a top priority at the Community College of Rhode Island, and so it’s only natural that the respected institution would receive the distinct honor of being selected as an education partner for Amazon’s Career Choice Program, an education benefit that empowers employees to learn new skills for career success at Amazon or elsewhere. The program is known for meeting individual learners wherever they may be in their education journey and providing them with a variety of opportunities, including foundational skills (from English language proficiency to high school diplomas), full college tuition and industry certifications for in-demand fields. Amazon is investing $1.2 billion to upskill more than 300,000 employees by 2025.

This particular partnership with CCRI, New England’s largest community college and the state’s sole associate degree awarding institution, will provide hourly employees at Amazon access to the college’s ninety-plus certificate or degree programs in high-wage, high-demand industries such as healthcare, business, IT and education. It is the first and only Rhode Island college to be selected as an Amazon Career Choice partner.

“This partnership demonstrates what is possible when industry and higher education join together to increase access to higher education, advance social and economic mobility and strengthen Rhode Island’s economy,” says Meghan Hughes, President of CCRI. “We are deeply grateful to Amazon for supporting their employees’ academic and career goals, and we are ready to welcome Amazon associates to our college.”

The Amazon employees will absolutely be in good company. With nearly 18,000 students enrolled annually in credit-bearing degree and certificate programs, CCRI provides Rhode Islanders with a quality college education that leads to strong learning outcomes, successful degree attainment and robust labor market results. The college also offers online, hybrid and in-person (across four campuses) options for students.

“We’re looking forward to CCRI coming on board as an education partner for Career Choice, adding to the hundreds of best-in-class offerings available to our employees,” says 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 created 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 80,000 Amazon employees around the world have already participated in Career Choice and we’ve seen first-hand how it can transform their lives.”

For more information, visit ccri.edu/amazon.