PHOENIX--(BUSINESS WIRE)--StrataTech Education Group, a long-time leader in training skilled trade professionals, has been selected as an education partner for Amazon’s Career Choice program. Through this program, Amazon’s hourly employees will gain access to courses in MIG welding, HVAC fundamentals and electrical fundamentals at The Refrigeration School, Inc. (RSI) and Tulsa Welding School (TWS) campuses.
The program consists of a 10-week online and in-person training course, with full tuition provided by Amazon. Upon completion, Amazon employees have the option to continue their education with RSI or TWS and enroll in the full program, allowing them to finish their selected programs faster and more affordably. In StrataTech and Amazon’s pilot program, 16 Amazon employees graduated, with five moving on to continue their education. New cohorts for the program started on Feb. 7.
“Today’s best employers understand the value of investing in their employees’ skills and education,” said Mary Kelly, President/CEO of StrataTech Education Group. “We are thrilled to be an educational partner with Amazon to provide their employees with high-demand skills in a booming industry that is ripe with opportunity.”
Careers in skilled trades continue to be on the rise as the industry is experiencing a skilled labor shortage. According to a recent Deloitte study, there will be approximately 2.4 million skilled trades positions left unfilled by 2028. StrataTech Education Group dedicates itself to not only educating the next generation of skilled trades workers but upskilling those already in the industry. Most recently, they launched StrataSkills, which aims to help employers enhance current employees’ skills and retain workers.
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 training 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 U.S., Amazon 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 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,” said Tammy Thieman, Global Program Lead of Amazon’s Career Choice program. “We are looking forward to adding StrataTech Education Group as an education partner for Career Choice and continuing to offer best-in-class trainings to our employees.”
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. To date, over 50,000 Amazon employees around the world have participated in Career Choice.
For more information on Amazon’s Career Choice, visit: https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/workplace/career-choice.
For more information on StrataTech Education Group’s StrataSkills program, visit: www.strataskills.com.
About StrataTech Education Group
StrataTech Education Group focuses on the education, growth and development of specialized career education schools, particularly skilled-trade programs designed to address the nation’s growing infrastructure needs. Holding an A+ rating by the Better Business Bureau, StrataTech Education Group’s portfolio includes The Refrigeration School, Inc. (RSI) (Phoenix, AZ), Tulsa Welding School (TWS) (Tulsa, OK), Tulsa Welding School Jacksonville (FL), and Tulsa Welding School & Technology Center (Houston, TX). For more information, visit stratatech.com.
About Tulsa Welding School
Tulsa Welding School (TWS) was founded in 1949 in Tulsa, Okla. and has trained thousands of individuals to become entry-level professionals in the skilled trades for more than 70 years. Students learn hands-on, technical competencies and skills in labs, workshops and classrooms, with a curriculum designed to meet employers’ needs. TWS offers Welding, HVAC/Refrigeration and Electrical related programs. Upon program completion, TWS graduates are equipped to start entry-level careers in a variety of industries, ranging from automotive to manufacturing. TWS is an ACCSC accredited school and licensed by OBPVS. For more information, visit tws.edu/student-resources/regulatory-information or follow along on Facebook and Twitter.
About The Refrigeration School, Inc.
The Refrigeration School, Inc. (RSI) was founded in Phoenix in 1965 and has been training students for sustainable careers for more than 55 years. Offering hands-on education with a strong emphasis on the highly sought-after skills employers seek, RSI’s programs include training in Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heating Technologies, Electro-Mechanical Technologies (HVAC-R), Mechanical Maintenance Engineering and Welding RSI is an ACCSC accredited school and licensed by the Arizona State Board for Private Post-Secondary Education. For more information, visit rsi.edu/about-rsi/regulatory-information/ or follow along on Facebook and Twitter.
