Amazon will spend more than $1bn over the next five years in US communities that host its data centres. Matt Garman, chief executive of Amazon Web Services, announced the programme, called Built Together, in a post on Friday, along with new commitments on power, water and transparency.
The money will go to three areas: education and job training, energy and water, and projects chosen by each community. It comes on top of more than $1bn that Amazon says it has given to these communities over the past three years.
Under the plan, Amazon will cover out-of-pocket community college costs for an estimated 300,000 students. It will also build 16 more training centres on or near its sites, offering free certificates in trades such as electrical work and fibre optics. It runs three today, and six more are in development.
Grants will also pay for energy upgrades in more than 300 schools and community buildings and over 30,000 homes, which Amazon said should save…
https://thenextweb.com/news/amazon-1bn-data-centre-communities-built-together