Amazon has announced a summary of community initiatives and economic investments surrounding its Amazon Web Services (AWS) data centers across the United States. The press bulletin highlights efforts in education, workforce development, and local grant programs.
According to Amazon, the update spotlights local partnerships and outcomes in multiple states around AWS data centers. These include education access through Think Big Spaces and mobile STEM labs in Virginia, internships with Hayward Unified in California, micro-grants via ChangeX in Oregon and Ohio, and large-scale workforce training such as fiber-optic courses with Georgia technical colleges. The company also references construction milestones in Mississippi and community events in Virginia that connect residents with Amazon employees and local leaders. This illustrates Amazon's bid to align data center growth with neighborhood benefits and civic engagement.
In eastern Oregon, AWS reports a cumulative $39.2 billion investment since 2011 tied to construction, connection, operation, and maintenance of its data centers. The company estimates this activity has supported about 8,320 full-time equivalent jobs annually and contributed $11.8 billion to regional GDP. Additionally, it has resulted in $54.2 million in 2024 property taxes and fees. Amazon also cites targeted education support, including equipment funding for Blue Mountain Community College and recurring scholarships for local students entering data-center programs—an anchor for long-term talent pipelines in Morrow and Umatilla counties.