Online classifieds giant Amazon plans to offer training and paid internships to 25,000 veterans as part of the US government’s Joining Forces Initiative. The company is one of 200 employers and colleges to pledge their support.
Those who join the program will take a 16-week technical training program and also get a 12-month paid apprenticeship with the classifieds portal. It’s hoped that a number of the placements will result in full-time positions with Amazon, though the skills the participants will learn can be applied in other work environments.
“Partnerships like this one have reinvigorated our nation’s apprenticeship system, creating opportunity and pathways to prosperity for hundreds of thousands of Americans that will last for years to come,” Deputy U.S. Secretary of Labor Chris Lu said in a statement.
“We believe this is the right thing to do for our veterans and military spouses, for Amazon, and for our hundreds of millions of customers,” said Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos in a press release.
The company has already hired around 10,000 veterans since 2011, with this latest initiative set to boost that figure markedly.
