Amazon doesn’t have to go far to find fresh tech talent.
The Seattle tech giant is hiring more than 100 engineers from the latest graduating class at the University of Washington Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering — an all-time high, according to university data shared with GeekWire.
The record-setting move underscores Amazon’s close ties to the UW’s top-ranked computer science program, even as the broader tech job market shifts amid the rise of generative AI.
Microsoft, headquartered in nearby Redmond, Wash., along with Meta and Google — which have major engineering hubs in the Seattle region — are each hiring more than 20 UW CSE grads.
Those four corporations are taking a sizable chunk of the graduating class. There were about 650 students who graduated this year from the Allen School, not including PhD grads. About 17% of that group is headed to some type of graduate school.
The hiring trend reflects a strong talent pipeline between the UW and Seattle’s tech industry.
The data is also notable given that computer science grads face a tougher job market than in years past, with companies laying off workers and pulling back on headcount growth — a stark contrast to the post-pandemic tech hiring boom.
Amazon and Microsoft are aiming to streamline management layers and rely more heavily on AI for efficiency. Meanwhile, entry-level roles — jobs that new graduates often fill — appear most susceptible to automation.
Computer science schools are already adjusting their approach to keep pace with generative AI tools, including those capable of writing code.
Amazon has a longtime relationship with the Allen School. It donated $10 million in 2016 to help the school construct its second building (Microsoft also donated $10 million). The company in 2022 helped launch the “UW+Amazon Science Hub” that supports various engineering-related programs.
Amazon has also funded endowed professorships in machine learning.
In response to a GeekWire inquiry, Amazon said it works with university partners to foster the next generation of tech talent.
Previously: Founders, recruiters, professors share advice for grads on how to land a tech job in the AI era
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