Since when do people think of 4-year degrees when they think of "employee training"?

Agreed. The title sounds like Amazon will pay any college tuition, provided the student incurs a cost of some sort.

This seems like more of a PR move than anything.

No, it's not. An education at Random State College is still rather more than "employee training".

Not to Amazon it's not, but you won't see that in their propoganda. Even Random State Community College is likely a better education (this is not meant as a backhanded compliment to community colleges, which are at least honest and respectable about what they provide and don't).

But if I'm getting the education, for free, why do I care whether it serves as employee training to Amazon?

And, community colleges provide a better education than state colleges? Seriously? Do you have any evidence for that position?

I believe you misinterpreted. State community colleges are likely better than any sort of "training programs" Amazon provides in terms of education. If those "training programs" happen to include a waiver at a full state university, then of course not, but the program waivers aren't entirely composed of 4 year universities and many seem to be Amazon tailored programs, based on the article.

Ah, I see.

I misinterpreted you as saying that Amazon was using a real college as a training program.

If Amazon will pay for "education", and the options are a four year degree or an Amazon training program, I'll take the degree and ignore their training.