Andrew Phinisee is working at Amazon’s Chattanooga distribution center in the returns department today, but his future may be in computer-aided design.
Phinisee, 32, is taking the CAD coursework at a new dedicated classroom the company has built inside its sprawling Enterprise South industrial park facility.
He said he probably would have taken the class at Chattanooga State Community College if it hadn’t been offered at Amazon, but having it on-site makes it handy and saves on transportation.
Amazon on Tuesday officially rolled out its new classroom as it expands a program that pre-pays 95 percent of employees’ tuition for classes in high-demand fields, regardless of whether those skills are relevant to jobs at the online retailer.
Chattanooga State President Dr. Flora Tydings said the college, which is providing instructors, “will go where the students are.” She termed the company’s Career Choice tuition program and on-site classroom “an impressive opportunity” for the employees.