Partnerships
Amazon Names Wake Tech a College Partner for Mechatronics and Robotics Upskilling
RALEIGH, N.C. (January 29, 2021) – Amazon has designated Wake Tech one of its partner colleges in its Mechatronics and Robotics Apprenticeship program. Wake Tech joins a select cohort of designated sites across the U.S. where accepted applicants will receive training through the U.S. Department of Labor’s registered apprenticeship program. The program provides high-tech training to provide technical maintenance on automated equipment in Amazon facilities.
Apprenticeship has become a strategic focus at Wake Tech with the college's new WakeWorks Apprenticeship program funded last year by the Wake County Board of Commissioners. WakeWorks is designed to expand apprenticeship opportunities county wide by providing funding support for pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship training offered through Wake Tech.
The Amazon apprenticeship training will take place in new facilities at the college's Beltline Education Center, which are being expanded to support apprenticeship training in mechatronics, robotics and skilled trades.
"We're thrilled to receive this designation by Amazon," said Dr. Scott Ralls, president of Wake Tech. "Wake Tech is a national leader in technology education and training, and with our recent focus on apprenticeship, this new opportunity strategically aligns with our mission to provide opportunities that enable economic mobility."
The Amazon Mechatronics and Robotics Apprenticeship program is part of the company’s Upskilling 2025 initiative in which the company announced a $700 million commitment to provide free skills training to 100,000 Amazon employees in the U.S. by 2025 to help them transition into in-demand, higher-paying jobs. This initiative also includes Amazon's innovative Career Choice program that pays for up to 95% of tuition and fees for eligible employees to get the training and certification needed to move to in-demand jobs within their communities. With today's announcement, Wake Tech becomes a new site where upskilling for high-tech Amazon jobs will be taking place.
For more information, visit Amazon's website.
