The Risks and Rewards of Amazon’s Employee Retraining Program

 

On what seems like monthly basis, Amazon.com Inc. seems to be investing in a new industry, company or product. Its most recent investment, however, may prove to be its best one yet, even if it does not result in a monumental profit.

The company announced this month that it will retrain more than 100,000 of it’s U.S.-based workers in an effort to better prepare them and the company for the future. The upskilling program is a $700 million investment over a six-year span. This amounts to an approximate investment of $1,200 per year on each of the 100,000 employees, a number that is about one-third of its total American workforce.

A tightening labor market, an increase in automation and high profitability allows companies of this size to invest more in their workforce, even if it comes at the expense of profits. The Amazon program does not require employees to stay at the company, and the retailer is training some of its workforce in roles that the company currently does not offer employment in.

“What Amazon looks like it’s betting on is that they will be able to provide enough of a desirable workforce that these workers will by and large stay with Amazon, and put these new skills to use,” University of Washington Associate Professor of Economics Rachel Heath said.

The roles Amazon is training its employees for are based on data gathered by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the most rapidly-hiring fields in the U.S. These include data science, data mapping and security engineering roles among others.

The move coincides with similar initiatives started by industry leaders like Walmart, JP Morgan, Accenture and AT&T.

For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the AEC Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Twitter – @AECMKSL
Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale
LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Image

Latest

symmetry CONNECT
Introducing Symmetry Connect: Automating Physical Identity and Access Management
April 2, 2025

In today’s fast-paced, security-conscious environment, managing who has access to what—and when—is more critical than ever. That’s where Symmetry CONNECT Identity Management by AMAG comes in, offering a powerful, streamlined solution for physical identity and access management (PIAM). With growing compliance demands and increasingly complex workforces, organizations need tools that can automate onboarding, simplify credentialing,…

Read More
data center construction
Data Center Construction Demands Are Surging But Power, Permitting, and Planning Are Holding It Back
April 1, 2025

Explosive demand for artificial intelligence, cloud services, and low-latency connectivity is reshaping the landscape for data center construction in the U.S. With hyperscalers and enterprises alike racing to deploy infrastructure closer to end users, new builds are increasingly challenged by the need for high-capacity power, complex permitting, and skilled labor. According to CBRE, U.S….

Read More
intelligent audio systems
Redefining Security: The Critical Role of Voice in Intelligent Audio Systems
April 1, 2025

In the world of security technology, vision has long taken precedence—cameras, analytics, and access control have dominated the conversation. But what if we’ve been underestimating our oldest, most human sense of communication: voice? The rise of intelligent audio in security systems marks a turning point in how we protect spaces and people, shifting from passive…

Read More
How PSA is Empowering Integrators to Navigate AI, Mobile Credentials, and Modern Business Challenges?
April 1, 2025

As the security integration industry contends with rapid technological advancement and increasing business complexity, many integrators are looking for the tools, training, and guidance to keep pace. At the center of this evolution is AI—transforming not just the products integrators deploy but also the way they operate their businesses. Meanwhile, the shift to mobile credentials…

Read More