MSU, OTC chosen for Amazon Career Choice program

Amazon.com Inc. (Nasdaq: AMZN) added Ozarks Technical Community College and Missouri State University to its Career Choice program as part of a nationwide expansion.

Officials from both local higher-education institutions announced their inclusion in the program that allows hourly Amazon employees to receive fully funded college tuition.

“We’re committed to empowering our employees with easy access to the education and training they need to grow their careers, whether that’s with us or elsewhere,” said Alicia Boler Davis, senior vice president of global customer fulfillment for Amazon, in a news release. “We’re thrilled today to be adding more education partners to our Career Choice program, which we hope will give our team access to the educational paths that fit their passions."

MSU and OTC are among more than 140 universities added to the Career Choice program with the announcement this morning. Locally, Amazon has workers at its fulfillment center in Republic and a delivery station in Springfield.

In a separate news release, OTC Chancellor Hal Higdon noted the workforce benefits of the program.

“Investing in your employees is an effective tool to retain quality workers and recruit new ones," he said in the release. “OTC is proud to partner with Amazon to give their employees access to our educational opportunities.”