As one of the largest employers in the United States, Amazon offers a wide variety of jobs across its warehouses, fulfillment centers, retail stores, delivery operations, and corporate offices. With so many roles to fill, you may be wondering – do you need a high school diploma or GED to land an Amazon job?
The answer depends on the specific position you‘re applying for, but many entry-level Amazon jobs actually do not require applicants to have a completed high school education. Read on for more details on educational requirements for working at Amazon.
Typical Entry-Level Amazon Warehouse Jobs
If you‘re interested in working in one of Amazon‘s massive warehouses or fulfillment centers, positions like fulfillment associate, picker, stower, and packer typically do not call for a high school diploma or GED. The minimum requirements tend to be:
- At least 18 years old
- Able to speak, read and understand English for safety rules
- Willingness to undergo training
These warehouse worker roles involve retrieving products, packing orders, shipping packages, and other very physical tasks like lifting, walking many miles per shift, etc.
Due to safety regulations, you must be an adult to operate heavy machinery and equipment. But a completed high school education is not mandatory.
In fact, some Amazon locations even help interested employees study for and obtain a GED while working there. The company sees offering these educational opportunities as beneficial for both employees and Amazon‘s own operations.
Other Entry-Level Hourly Jobs
Besides fulfillment center positions, many other beginning hourly jobs at Amazon also do not strictly require you to have graduated high school, depending on the specific location and role.
Some examples include:
- Working as an associate in Amazon retail stores like Amazon Books or Amazon 4-star
- Making deliveries as a driver for Amazon Flex
- Staffing the customer service phones or chat
The hiring managers may prefer candidates with high school diplomas when sorting through entry-level applicants. But having one is rarely an official prerequisite to get hired.
Higher Level Jobs Want College Graduates
On the other hand, landing a professional-level position at Amazon does require having the appropriate educational background.
Jobs in engineering, business, project management, marketing, finance, and other corporate divisions typically expect candidates to have a college degree in a related discipline.
And for technology-focused roles like software development, you‘ll need specialized training, coding expertise, and sometimes even a Master‘s degree or PhD to meet qualifications.
So if you want to work at Amazon headquarters or build a long-term career with the company, pursuing higher education becomes vital.
Does Amazon Verify Education?
Now you may be wondering – does Amazon actually check if you graduated high school or earned a college degree?
The answer seems to depend on the human resources department at your particular location.
Some Amazon employees report they were asked to show proof of high school graduation during the hiring process. Others state their education background was never verified or questioned.
In general, Amazon does seem to rigorously confirm completion of college degrees for professional roles. But checks on high school diplomas appear inconsistent.
Conclusion
While Amazon does not guarantee jobs for those without high school diplomas, they offer excellent opportunities both with and without one.
As long as you meet age requirements, can communicate effectively in English, work hard, and follow safety protocols, you can land an Amazon position.
And their Career Choice program helps motivated employees take free college classes or earn GED certifications while working there.
So if you want to begin an exciting career with Amazon, having the drive and determination matters more than your educational history for many entry-level openings.
