Arlington, Virginia – November 22, 2024-Amazon has inaugurated the new JumpStart Youth Apprenticeship Program which incorporates Arlington County and D.C high school students to advanced technical and business fields such as generative AI.
In partnership with CityWorks DC, this initiative’s objectives are to strengthen opportunity gaps and develop a local talent pipeline to fill in high-growth professions.
According to Holly Sullivan, the Vice President of Worldwide Economic Development at Amazon,
“The commitment to education and workforce development in this region were very valuable considerations to choosing Arlington as HQ2.”
She stated that likewise, programs such as JumpStart are in line with Amazon’s principles of encouraging education and career paths.
The program is a two-year goal directed towards high-school rising juniors and seniors and thus presents an 11-week orientation and subsequent part-time paid roles.
Students will work with Amazon Web Services, Prime Video, and teams of AI innovation and be involved in work that is meant to enhance their education in high schools.
Jennifer C. Niles, President and CEO, CityWorks DC. Talked about the impact of the initiative:
“Bringing Amazon straight to our public high school students is the kind of bold action that we need in order to start birthing a local talent pool that is competent to fill high-paying, high-demand jobs. JumpStart is the opportunity.”
Dr. Francisco Durán, Superintendent, of Arlington Public Schools, remarked about the partnership:
“JumpStart is an exceptional opportunity for our students to acquire new skills as they work with professionals in one of the leading firms of the world. We appreciate Amazon’s concern towards education.”
Another school chancellor from DC Dr. Lewis D. Ferebee said
“We live in a globalized world, and experiences such as these broaden the students’ mobility and place them in a better stead to achieve success beyond the four walls of the DC Public Schools system.”
The program exemplifies Amazon’s integration of AI into workforce development, setting a precedent for future educational collaborations nationwide.
Source: https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/community/amazon-arlington-virginia-news
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