Amazon Future Engineer to offer free online lessons and summer camps
to help kids discover computer science, fund Introductory and Advanced
Placement (AP) computer science classes in 2,000 high schools in
low-income communities across the country, and award $10,000 annual
college scholarships and paid Amazon summer internships to college
students from underrepresented communities
Families, students, schools, and school districts can start applying
for grants and scholarships now
SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 1, 2018--
(NASDAQ: AMZN)—The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that by 2020
there will be 1.4 million computer-science-related jobs available and
only 400,000 computer science graduates with the skills to apply for
those jobs. Computer science is the fastest growing profession within
the Science, Technology, Engineering or Math (STEM) field, but only 8%
of STEM graduates earn a computer science degree, with a tiny minority
from underprivileged backgrounds. Also according to the Bureau of Labor
Statistics, the average computer science major makes 40% more in
lifetime earnings than the average college graduate and nearly three
times more than the average high school alumna. Despite the opportunity,
the vast majority of public elementary and high schools, particularly
those in less advantaged communities, do not offer computer science
classes.
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AFE High School classroom. (Photo: Business Wire)
Today, Amazon is launching Amazon
Future Engineer (AFE), a comprehensive childhood-to-career program
to inspire, educate, and train children and young adults from
underserved and low-income communities to pursue careers in computer
science. Amazon aims to inspire more than 10 million kids each year to
explore computer science through coding camps and online lessons, fund
introductory and Advanced Placement (AP) courses in computer science for
over 100,000 underprivileged young people in 2,000 low-income high
schools across the U.S., award 100 students from underserved communities
pursuing degrees in computer science with four-year $10,000 annual
scholarships, as well as internships at Amazon to gain work experience.
“Among Black and Hispanic students, those who take AP computer science
in high school are up to 8 times more likely to take computer science in
college, and among women, they are 10 times more likely to do so—yet
most high schools don’t offer these courses,” said Jeff Wilke, CEO
Worldwide Consumer, Amazon. “Computer science skills are some of the
most in-demand in the modern economy, and we have created Amazon Future
Engineer because we believe young people from all backgrounds should
have help from childhood to career so they can have a future in this
highly paid, rapidly-growing field.”
The Amazon Future Engineer program consists of inspiring activities,
comprehensive education, and hands-on work experience that supports
children and young people at every stage from childhood to career.
Amazon ran a beta of Amazon Future Engineer in 2017 and 2018, and saw a
tremendous response from students, schools, and communities across the
U.S. The new four-phased program is designed to allow students with
interest in computer science to keep developing their skills throughout
their educational journey. Here’s
how it works:
For kindergarteners through 8th graders,Amazon will fund free, fun, and inclusive computer science online
lessons and camps through partnerships with organizations such as Code.org
and Coding
with Kids. Designed by experts, these lessons and camps will provide
underprivileged students in hundreds of communities across the U.S. an
opportunity to discover the potential of coding in an interactive,
hands-on way. Children and young people who participate in these
activities are more likely to say they like computer science and have
confidence in their computer science abilities. Students and parents can
apply for summer camp scholarships here.
For students in high school from 9th to 12th
grade, Amazon will provide funding to schools, focusing on low
income Title I and rural schools, to offer Intro to Computer Science
and AP Computer Science courses. The program seeks to dramatically
expand access to high-caliber preparatory courses, curricular resources,
and programs for schools and districts to help prepare and propel high
school students forward in their pursuit of computer science education.
Underprivileged students are 8 to 10 times more likely to pursue college
degrees in computer science if they have taken AP computer science in
high school. The program is already open for applications and interested
schools can apply here.
For college students,Amazon will offer$10,000 per year,
4-year “Amazon Scholar” college scholarships for individuals from
underserved communities who are pursuing an undergraduate degree in
computer science. Scholarships are available to young people who have
successfully completed an AP Computer Science course and are pursuing a
computer science degree at an accredited four-year university. The
program is now open for applications with funds available for students
starting in Fall, 2019. Students can apply here.
College freshman students who received a scholarship from Amazon
will be eligible for a paid software development internship at
Amazon. Participants will partner with a technical mentor and manager,
as well as other interns, to innovate and create new features and
services on behalf of Amazon customers. Scholarship recipients will
begin their internship in summer of 2020.
“This program from Amazon will play an important role in helping make
computer science education – and high paying jobs – a reality for female
and underrepresented, minority students,” said Hadi Partovi, Founder and
CEO, Code.org. “Computer science education and skills have become
essential across all industries today. It’s critical that students from
all backgrounds have access to the classes that set them up to succeed
and the resources to continue their studies.”
“One of the things that impresses me most when I visit classrooms around
my state is the incredible amount of creativity and savvy among our
young people when it comes to technology of all kinds,” said Washington
Governor Jay Inslee. “By helping connect more students to programs in
STEM and computer science – particularly students in underrepresented
communities – Amazon’s new initiative will help open the imagination and
doors of opportunity for millions of children.”
“Amazon’s support assists us in offering important computer science
courses for our students, many of whom will go on to be first generation
college students,” said Jason Cordes, a teacher at Rudder High School in
the Bryan Independent School District in Bryan, Texas. “Our students are
enthusiastic and passionate – deserving of as many opportunities as we
can give them. To help them get an education in a fast growing field,
like computer science, enables them to ensure a successful future.”
About Amazon
Amazon is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than
competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational
excellence, and long-term thinking. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping,
personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle
Direct Publishing, Kindle, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo, and Alexa
are some of the products and services pioneered by Amazon. For more
information, visit amazon.com/about
and follow @AmazonNews.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181101005402/en/
Source: Amazon.com, Inc.
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