Amazon to pay Corning billions of dollars for megadeal that will create 1,000 jobs at North Carolina factories

Amazon has signed a multibillion-dollar agreement with Corning. Under this deal, Corning will supply optical fiber, cable and connectivity solutions for the e-commerce giant’s growing data center network in the US. This includes facilities that support cloud computing and artificial intelligence (AI) services. This deal is also expected to create 1,000 manufacturing jobs in North Carolina.In a blog post, Amazon said that this agreement will support expansion at Corning's manufacturing facilities across the state and generate hundreds of additional construction jobs as the company increases production capacity. The partnership is aimed at strengthening domestic supply chains for data center infrastructure while supporting workforce development in the region.As part of the agreement, Amazon and Corning will also work together on a workforce development initiative that expands Corning's existing Fiber Optic Technician Training Program with Catawba Valley Community College. The program is designed to prepare students for careers in fiber optic manufacturing and related technical fields through hands-on training and specialized coursework."Amazon's investments in North Carolina have created more than 26,000 jobs across the state. This multibillion-dollar agreement with Corning continues that commitment, channeling investment into American manufacturing and creating 1,000 new jobs at their facilities near our data centers. We're also partnering to train North Carolinians for highly skilled roles in fiber optics and fusion splicing. These long-term investments create long-term careers and real opportunity in the communities where we operate,” Matt Garman, CEO of AWS wrote in the blog post.The new agreement comes in addition to Amazon's previously announced plan to invest $10 billion in North Carolina to expand its cloud computing infrastructure. Amazon has invested more than $20 billion in North Carolina since 2010 and created over 26,000 jobs across sectors including logistics, cloud infrastructure and renewable energy.Corning said the agreement will help expand manufacturing operations and increase domestic production of fiber optic products used in data centers."This agreement with Amazon represents a significant milestone for Corning and for American manufacturing," said Wendell Weeks, chairman, CEO, and president of Corning.The company also highlighted its workforce development programs in North Carolina, stating that nearly 7,000 people in the state have received training through initiatives such as Career Choice and other upskilling efforts. Amazon added that it has contributed more than $72 million to local charities and community organizations across North Carolina over the past decade.