Amazon is pledging to hire over 100,000 U.S. veterans and military spouses by 2024, building on its commitment to military families after far exceeding its pledge to hire 25,000 by 2021.
Amazon currently employs more than 40,000 veterans and military spouses across multiple businesses, including Operations, Sustainability, Alexa, and Amazon Web Services (AWS). All regular full-time employees receive at least $15/hr and comprehensive benefits that begin their first day on the job, and access to programs to help them train for higher-paying jobs in robotics, cloud computing, and other in-demand fields.
“Amazon is focused on recruiting and developing military talent with training programs specifically designed to help veterans transition into roles in the private sector,” said John Quintas, Amazon’s director of global military affairs. “We value the unique skills and experience that the military community brings—and our new hiring commitment will expand the impact that military members currently have on every single business across the company.”
John Quintas, Amazon’s director of global military affairs.Amazon made its 2016 Joining Forces pledge with the goal of hiring 25,000 veterans and military spouses by 2021. Inspired after far surpassing that original goal, Amazon is now using the momentum to work toward a larger recruiting and hiring pledge.
“Amazon recognizes the diverse backgrounds and experiences veterans and military spouses bring and how they strengthen the workforce,” said Eric Eversole, who leads Hiring Our Heroes, a program of the U.S Chamber of Commerce Foundation. The program is focused on helping veterans, transitioning service members, and military spouses find meaningful employment in communities across America.
Amazon offers a variety of programs to assist transitioning service members and military spouses in finding rewarding careers. This includes access to company-funded skills training in high-demand areas through initiatives like the Amazon Technical Apprenticeship Program and AWS re/Start.
Amazon employee and member of Warrior@Amazon affinity group, Nikhil Daas.Military members working at Amazon can also take advantage of the company’s free upskilling
opportunities, which help participants gain new technical skills and move into higher-paying, in-demand jobs. Among the programs is Career Choice, Amazon’s pre-paid tuition program for fulfillment center employees looking to move into high-demand occupations. Amazon Technical Academy is a paid nine-month training program that equips non-technical Amazon employees with essential skills so they can transition into—and thrive in—software engineering careers.
“Through their commitment to provide upskilling and employment opportunities in high demand careers, Amazon is equalizing opportunity for veterans and military spouses,” said Eversole, who is also vice president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
In addition to skills training, veterans and military spouses working at Amazon have access to fellowships, mentorships, military spouse support, and deployment benefits. They also have the Warriors@Amazon affinity group, a community with more than 10,000 former service members, spouses, and allies across the company.
Caleb Jarrett, inside sales representative for Amazon Web Services.
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All Amazon jobs pay a starting wage of at least $15 an hour—more than twice the federal minimum wage—and all regular full-time employees enjoy healthcare from their first day of the job, a 401(k) plan with company match, up to 20 weeks of paid leave for birthing parents, access to free upskilling opportunities, and more.
Amazon currently has more than 35,000 positions open in the U.S. To learn more about career opportunities for veterans and military spouses at Amazon, please visit Amazon.jobs.
