A dozen Amazon employees gathered at the Amazon warehouse in Ruskin, Florida in December – arguably one of the busiest months of the year for the powerhouse company – to celebrate earning the Lean Six Sigma Black Belt Certification. Their milestone represents Amazon’s commitment to organizational efficiency and professional development.
The company has partnered with USF’s Corporate Training and Professional Education unit to offer valuable upskilling and leadership development opportunities for employees in a variety of areas in the business. This strategic alliance emphasizes Amazon's dedication to nurturing its workforce, providing them with invaluable upskilling opportunities to emerge as leaders in their respective areas. USF's Corporate Training and Professional Education unit has offered a range of upskilling and leadership development programs tailored to various facets of Amazon's business operations.
With the inclusion of the most recent graduates, USF has now successfully conferred the Lean Six Sigma Black Belt Certification upon 62 employees from Amazon TPA1. Additionally, 108 professionals at Amazon TPA1 have earned their Green Belt Certification through USF since 2019.
The Amazon TPA1 warehouse, spanning over one million square feet, is a pivotal force in local warehousing, inventory movement, and operations. It typically employs around 2,500 staff members and adds around 1,000 additional employees during the holiday season. Altogether, the facility processes more than 100 million units of inventory annually.
In the Lean Six Sigma Black Belt Certification, students delve into identifying and eliminating inefficiencies at work by optimizing processes, measuring the business impacts, and creating solutions that benefit employees, companies, and clients.
“The partnership with USF has helped our leaders grow exponentially,” said Sean Comerford, senior operations manager at Amazon TPA1. “Our goal is to have every one of our leaders complete the Lean Six Sigma programs.”
A group of Lean Six Sigma students present their final projects to their peers.
In departments ranging from stowing to induction, Amazon employees developed unique solutions to the challenges that impact the daily operations of their teams. They created streamlined solutions and presented them to peers and Amazon leaders as part of the final project for the Lean Six Sigma Black Belt Certification. The solutions were not just theoretical; they were tested in the warehouse to see the actual results of their ideas, what performed well, and what needed improvement.
“Amazon is moving fast,” Comerford continued. “Often, leaders can fixate on the smaller parts of our operations and forget about the larger scope. The Lean Six Sigma programs allow them to learn tools and techniques to think through problems and improve the company on a broader scale.”
Beyond Amazon, USF’s Corporate Training and Professional Education team partners with several other companies in industries ranging from grocery and retail to utilities and finance. In addition to Amazon, CTPE has collaborated with organizations such as Publix, Citibank, Bristol Myers Squibb, TECO, City of Clearwater-Public Utilities, the United States Airforce, Hillsborough County Public Schools, and more.
In 2022, nearly 12,000 open enrollment professionals participated in USF’s corporate and professional education programs in areas such as leadership and management, project management, and K-12 education and summer camps. Students came from 24 countries, 49 U.S. states, and 56 Florida counties.
“In today’s rapidly evolving job market, continuous learning and skill enhancement is more critical than ever,” said David Hill, USF’s Corporate Training and Professional Education's associate director. “We offer a wide spectrum of programs aimed at those aspiring to advance in their current roles or pivot to new careers.”
Programs cover topics such as effective communication, emotional intelligence, modern management tools, and more. There are plenty of options to fit your team’s unique needs.
“Access to these programs is intentionally scheduled to cater to the busy lives of working professionals,” said Hill.
According to a report by Degreed, an upskilling platform, 75% of respondents prefer learning in socially engaged environments, which leads to an increase in employee engagement. CTPE’s learning programs are designed to tackle the challenges and opportunities in several industries, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and innovation.
“For organizations striving to stay ahead in a competitive business environment, our Corporate Training unit is the solution. Invest in your most valuable asset – your employees,” said Hill. “With our focus on real-world, industry-specific learning, our training ensures a tangible return on learning and development investment.”
Amazon is a prime example of success. The company experienced firsthand the impact of this return, prompting the company to establish a Lean Excellence Team. Integrating three Lean Six Sigma belts – yellow, green, and black – this team has selected USF CTPE to provide the training as they expand their footprint. With content designed to cater to the specific needs of Amazon, employees will be able to maximize their professional growth and enhance their expertise.
If your organization is interested in exploring dedicated training opportunities with USF CTPE, please contact David Hill at (813) 974-4682 or djhill4@usf.edu.