The program is called Amazon Future Engineer. It will offer free summer camps for kids in kindergarten through eighth grade as well as after-school programs in Amazon offices around the country. Volunteers will include Amazon employees. Online classes, lessons and games will be provided by Amazon's partners, such as Code.org and Coding with Kids.
Amazon’s chief executive of worldwide consumer, Jeff Wilke, hopes some of the students who go through the Amazon Future Engineer program will work for the company, creating skills for its Alexa voice assistant or programming its delivery drones. But he said other companies are increasingly relying on technology, and coding has become a valuable skill to more employers.
"We're pretty confident that knowing how to code will be as important as knowing how to read for the jobs of the future," Wilke said.
Amazon also plans to pay for online training for teachers at 2,000 low-income high schools around the country to teach to teach introductory and college-level advanced placement computer science classes. Additionally, it will offer college students scholarships and internships. For example, $10,000 scholarships for high school seniors interested in pursuing computer science is now open to accept applications. Schools, teachers and parents will be able to apply through AmazonFutureEngineer.com.
Visit their website (www.AmazonFutureEngineer.com) today to learn more!
