BC Partners with Amazon for Career Choice Program

Today, Bellevue College (BC) announced it’s been selected as an education partner for Amazon’s Career Choice program, providing Amazon’s hourly employees access to high-tech degrees. This includes the college’s Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, Bachelor of Applied Science in Cybersecurity, Bachelor of Applied Science in Business Management and Technology, and the Associate-Transfer Degree in Information Technology.

“In a time when everyone’s feeling financially stretched by rising costs, Amazon is stepping up by creating an educational pathway for their employees to some of our region’s most in-demand, high-wage fields,” said Gary Locke, interim president of Bellevue College. “It’s a smart investment in their workforce, and also helps strengthen our entire community and local economy.”

Two of the newest degrees—the BAS in Cybersecurity (starting this fall) and BAS in Business Management and Technology (starting in winter)—are being launched this year and were specifically developed to meet growing employer needs.

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 education and upskilling opportunities including pre-paid 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.

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 Bellevue 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 80,000 Amazon employees around the world have already participated in Career Choice and we’ve seen firsthand how it can transform their lives.”

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

For more information on Bellevue College, visit: bellevuecollege.edu