Better than tuition-free

If I had a choice between an education provided by the public sector (the taxpayer), and an education provided by the private sector (the value producers), this would be an easy, hands-down decision: go for the value with the privately-funded education.

Those in the private sector who are seeking to bring their people up to speed on current work needs, like Amazon, are inherently invested in ensuring the education directly produces value. In a tight labor market, businesses have a vested interest in raising and retaining valuable people.

When politicians want to “make college tuition-free” (which is not a role for government anyway), there's no direction connection to ensuring value there, and it's very susceptible to political agendas which could actually (or further) reduce the value of the education.

While some may complain of corporate paternalism, this may still be a better option than the debt industrial complex that higher education has become.