A partnership between the online mogul Amazon and University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) means employees can receive reimbursement for their tuition.
After reading about the Amazon Career Choice program in a news story, Executive Director of UWM Online, Laura Pedrick, reached out to Amazon to bring the program to UWM. “My eyes lit up, and I though ‘this would be a great fit for UWM.'”
As a university that enrolls a number of low-income and first-generation students, Pedrick says more students may realize the benefits they can reap from the program. “I would envision that we will have students who have unmet financial needs who will realize ‘if I go to work for Amazon, it will help me work toward my degree in an affordable way.'”
Pedricki said her goal is to get 500 students enrolled in the program. She thinks that as more Amazon employees and UWM students become aware of the opportunity, there will be natural growth over time. However, UWM isn’t the only school utilizing the program. Three other Wisconsin schools preceded UWM in participating in Amazon’s Career Choice program — Milwaukee Area Technical College, Gateway Technical College and UW-Parkside — all serving similar student clientele to UWM.
Amazon employees could receive up to $5,250 per year in tuition reimbursement from the company. All undergraduate programs are available to Amazon students and tuition reimbursement for a full-time employee covers two classes per semester.
