Amazon’s new training program in the Lehigh Valley expected to draw from workers nationwide - lehighvalleylive.com

Amazon employees, including those who work in the Lehigh Valley's two fulfillment centers and the center in Berks County, have a unique opportunity to get paid to attend a 12-week course at Lehigh Carbon Community College.

Amazon earlier this year announced the Mechatronics and Robotics Apprenticeship (MRA) Program as part of its Upskilling 2025 initiative to provide free skills training to 100,000 of its employees.

"Qualified applicants are able to get trained for certifications and skills needed to work within the facilities and get paid while they're learning," said Kent Hollenbeck, a spokesperson for Amazon.

The MRA program focuses on skills and certifications in robotics and mechatronics that keep Amazon facilities running and enable the company to deliver to their customers.

If accepted, participants will immediately receive a bump in pay, and once the 12-week classroom course is completed, they'll earn another raise, Hollenbeck said. After the year-long apprenticeship — on-the-job learning, the company calls it — those employees will receive another raise.

LCCC has partnered with Amazon to teach the 12-week course, which is good for the college and the company, said Don Worman, program director for manufacturing and technology at the college.

"The college had been looking for a major corporate partner, and this really helps fulfill that goal," Worman said.

Choosing LCCC as a site for classroom learning made sense, Worman said: It's located near a major airport — the program is open to applicants from all over the country — the Lehigh Valley has as a good system of buses and hotels, and the college has an established relationship with Amatrol, the company that provides trainers for this type of mechatronics and robotics work.

The response to the MRA program has been very good, said Worman who serves as the coordinator. The school has accepted 80 students since Jan 4, a quarter of the way to its yearly goal of 320.

Hollenbeck, of Amazon, said the apprentices are excited to learn new skills that will extend their career.

"It's incredibly positive," he told lehighvalleylive.com

In a press release — Amazon could not make an employee available for an interview — Victor Daniel, who is currently enrolled in the MRA program at LCCC, said, "I'm thrilled to be part of something as innovative as robotic maintenance. To have the opportunity to go back to school for free, get trained, and then learn on the job, all while earning more, has been a huge benefit."

Employees who complete the entire program could see their yearly wages increase nearly 40%, according to Amazon.

"We want our students to gain the technical knowledge we're delivering through textbooks, lectures, online work, and develop hands-on skills," Worman said. "We want to launch them on their way to be successful within Amazon."

The program, Worman added, can also help put LCCC on the map as a major provider of technical skills and knowledge.

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