Amazon announced a multibillion-dollar agreement with Corning, a leading manufacturer of advanced glass and fibre optic technology, to supply the optical fibre, cable and connectivity solutions that power Amazon’s expanding data centre infrastructure across the United States.
The investment will create 1,000 new, highly skilled jobs at Corning’s manufacturing facilities across North Carolina, and support hundreds of additional construction jobs to expand Corning’s facilities.
Through the agreement, Amazon will work with Corning on a new program that will expand its Fibre Optic Technician Training Program with Catawba Valley Community College to train students for careers in fibre optic manufacturing and related technical roles. The program provides hands-on education and courses that will increase the talent pool and offer pathways to high-paying technical roles. The efforts will help strengthen the domestic supply chain and U.S. manufacturing base while serving the region and state to help expand residential and commercial fibre densification efforts.
“This agreement with Amazon represents a significant milestone for Corning and for American manufacturing,” said Wendell Weeks, chairman, CEO and president of Corning. “For 175 years, Corning has pioneered the technologies that connect people and transform industries. Amazon’s investment will help us expand production, create 1,000 new advanced manufacturing jobs at our facilities, and lead the way toward building a resilient U.S. manufacturing base.”
This agreement with Corning is in addition to Amazon’s plans, announced last year, to invest USD 10 billion in North Carolina to expand cloud computing infrastructure. It builds on the more than USD 20 billion Amazon has invested in North Carolina since 2010, creating over 26,000 jobs spanning logistics, cloud infrastructure and renewable energy across the State.