S2 E6 | Empowering Career Choice – with Tammy Thieman

“The next step is not your last.” That’s why Amazon is focused on creating new paths to career success with the Career Choice program. In this episode of An Educated Guest, Todd Zipper, EVP and GM of Wiley University Services and Talent Development, welcomes Tammy Thieman, Global Program Director of Amazon Career Choice. Todd and Tammy explore how Amazon is providing a workplace where employees can advance their careers through access to “industry-busting” education providers and skills training. Key Takeaways: How Amazon Career Choice created a 45% enrollment increase in the first six months of 2022  How Career Choice helps employees be good consumers of their education and land opportunities wherever their careers take them  Why they rigorously vet education providers in their network  How Career Choice is part of Amazon’s greater education pledge of $1.2 billion by 2025  Why the program will continue measuring results relentlessly and share learns widely  Guest Bio Tammy Thieman is the Global Program Director of Amazon Career Choice. Currently available in 14 countries with over 80,000 participants, Career Choice is Amazon’s education program focused on career advancement and skills training for hourly employees with the goal of helping move them into higher-paying, in-demand jobs.  In her time at Amazon, Tammy has focused on upskilling initiatives such as supporting veteran hiring in tech and launching Amazon’s first Department of Labor-registered apprenticeship program. Tammy began her career as an active-duty Army officer and recently retired as a Lieutenant Colonel from the U.S. Army Reserve where she was the Pacific Northwest leader for Command and General Staff College. She currently lives in Las Vegas with her husband and two children.