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Leading IT industry trade association offers tech training and certification opportunities through Amazon’s Career Choice initiative

Downers Grove, Ill., – More than 100 Amazon associates enrolled in the company’s Career Choice program – a part of Amazon’s Upskilling 2025 Pledge – are exploring new career opportunities in information technology (IT) by attending virtual classes offered by CompTIA, the leading IT industry trade association. 

CompTIA and Amazon Career Choice have partnered to create career paths for hardworking Americans to fill critical employment needs in the nation’s IT sector. CompTIA recently welcomed students to virtual classes for the IT Operations Specialist Program, offered at 15 Amazon locations in eight states across the United States.[1]

“Career Choice is an innovative Amazon program uniquely designed to upskill our employees who are interested in pursuing a future outside of Amazon,” said Tammy Thieman, global program lead for the Career Choice program. “By delivering training in high-demand career paths, we are proud to give eligible employees the tools they need to make a move and pursue their career aspirations beyond Amazon.”

Information technology is one of five in-demand career options available to Amazon associates in the Career Choice program. The others are Healthcare, Transportation, Paralegal and Skilled Trade and Manufacturing.

“CompTIA is proud to be an education partner with Amazon Career Choice,” said Charles Eaton, executive vice president for social innovation at CompTIA. “Through a combination of virtual instructor-led training, self-study and tutoring delivered over 16 weeks, graduates will be well-prepared with the proven technical skills and soft skills they’ll need to join the IT workforce, ready to contribute from day one on the job.”

Amazon associates enrolled in the CompTIA IT Operations Specialist Program will receive everything they need to enter the tech workforce, including:

• Training to certify in CompTIA A+, a certification that is the industry standard for desktop support, customer support and technical support positions.
• Training to certify in CompTIA Network+, a certification that helps develop a career in IT infrastructure covering troubleshooting, configuring and managing networks.
• Training in soft skills such as problem solving, conflict resolution and customer service.

An analysis by CompTIA found that during the first quarter of 2020 there were more than 30,000 job postings nationwide for IT support specialist positions.[2]

“Whether it’s as the first line of cybersecurity defense or working with cloud-based applications and IoT-enabled devices, support and help desk technicians have more responsibility than ever before,” Eaton noted. “It’s the launching pad for long-term career advancement and success because the role offers exposure to a variety of skills-building opportunities.”

For eligible employees, Amazon will pay up to 95% of tuition and fees (up to a yearly maximum) towards a certificate or diploma in qualified fields of study, leading to in-demand jobs. Amazon associates must maintain employment over at least one continuous year in order to participate in Career Choice. During that year, they must meet Amazon’s high bar in terms of reliability, including maintaining attendance and delivering results.

“Career Choice participants are expected to complete an intensive and immersive course in IT while continuing to work their full-time jobs,” Eaton said. “By completing this course these future IT professionals will have proven their commitment and desire to join the tech workforce.”

The CompTIA IT Operations Specialist Program for Amazon Career Choice associates is an example of the best-in-class, instructor-led training available from CompTIA, both on-site or in a virtual environment, to bolster workforce development initiatives, corporations, academic institutions, government entities and nonprofit organizations. Visit CompTIA Custom Training for more information.

CompTIA is the global leader in vendor-neutral technical certifications in skills ranging from IT support and networking to cybersecurity and cloud computing. Nearly 2.7 million CompTIA certifications have been awarded to technology professionals in 232 countries around the world. Visit https://www.comptia.org/certifications to learn more.

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About CompTIA
The Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) is a leading voice and advocate for the $5.2 trillion global information technology ecosystem; and the estimated 75 million industry and tech professionals who design, implement, manage, and safeguard the technology that powers the world’s economy. Through education, training, certifications, advocacy, philanthropy, and market research, CompTIA is the hub for advancing the tech industry and its workforce. Visit www.comptia.org to learn more.

Contact:

Steven Ostrowski
CompTIA
630-678-8468
sostrowski@comptia.org­
www.comptia.org