Amazon is providing its employees with opportunities to transition into high-tech roles through its Career Choice program. In Washington, Amazon's Project Kuiper aims to create a constellation of over 3,200 low Earth orbit satellites to deliver high-speed internet globally. Instead of hiring externally, Amazon is training its fulfillment center employees to become satellite technicians.
The company has partnered with Lake Washington Institute of Technology (LWTech) to offer a six-month certification program covering various technical skills. Brian Huseman, Amazon’s vice president of public policy and community engagement, said, "Washington state is becoming the Silicon Valley for space, and we want to grant our employees there the option to join this growing industry."
Employees like Nadine Finegold and her husband Richard have transitioned from working in fulfillment centers to assembling satellites for Project Kuiper. Finegold expressed her enthusiasm for the program: "Career Choice was my golden ticket." The initiative has helped over 250,000 employees worldwide since its launch in 2012.
Dezmond Hernandez also benefited from the program. Initially a warehouse associate with an interest in space, he became a material coordinator for Project Kuiper while completing his coursework. Hernandez said the experience opened his eyes to more opportunities within Amazon.
Tony Vashisht, who joined Project Kuiper after working at a robotics delivery station, fulfilled his childhood dream of entering the aerospace industry through the certification program. He praised Amazon’s investment in employee development: "Amazon is the one company I saw where they will invest in you to become something."
The satellite technician certification is available not only to Amazon employees but also to the general public through LWTech. As Project Kuiper expands its operations in Washington, it continues to offer new career paths for those interested in technical fields.
Finegold summed up her experience by saying that joining Project Kuiper is about being part of something bigger: "We’re building something that will orbit Earth and make a difference for people who've never had reliable internet before."
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