Amazon will cover remaining costs at eight Virginia colleges

Amazon is covering the remaining cost of community college for eligible students at eight Virginia colleges that serve communities where it operates data centers.

The money goes to the Virginia Foundation for Community College Education. Amazon described the commitment as tens of millions of dollars. Students apply every federal and state aid dollar they qualify for, and the program covers what remains, so eligible students pay nothing out of pocket.

The eight colleges are Northern Virginia, Germanna, Piedmont Virginia, Southside Virginia, Brightpoint, Rappahannock, Reynolds, and Laurel Ridge. The program covers fees, books, exam and certification costs, and required equipment, not tuition alone. Those extra costs include items such as steel-toed boots for a construction course or scrubs for a nursing program.

Amazon and the Virginia Community College System announced the commitment on November 12. The setting was the system's 60th anniversary luncheon. The program sits inside Built Together, Amazon's community investment framework for places where it operates data centers. The partnership already includes cloud computing associate degrees at 13 of the system colleges, plus hands-on data center training. The goal is to help a student finish a credential and find work close to home, whether or not that job is in a data center.

Since 2010, Amazon has invested more than $190 billion in Virginia. That figure covers data centers, HQ2, and the communities around them. More than 45,000 people work for Amazon in the state. Roger Wehner, vice president of economic development at Amazon Web Services, says the company is supporting the colleges so Virginians can earn a degree or credential close to home.