Amazon expands apprenticeship programme

Amazon is on the hunt for 1,500 full-time apprentices including warehousing apprentices.

The online giant is recruiting apprentices across more than 40 different schemes, from warehouse team leader apprenticeships to apprenticeships in engineering, broadcast production, creative digital design and health, safety and environment.

Over 500 new apprenticeships will be offered to existing employees that want to retrain and gain new skills. Amazon will also be working with Forces Families Jobs in 2022 to provide apprenticeship opportunities to military families.

The retailer said the apprenticeship roles pay a minimum of £10 or £11 per hour depending on location, and up to £32,000 a year for degree-level apprenticeships. Apprentices also receive a benefits package that includes private medical insurance, life assurance, income protection, and an employee discount – which combined are worth more than £700 annually – as well as a company pension plan.

Once qualified, the 1,500 apprentices will have the opportunity to work across Amazon’s UK sites including fulfilment centres, delivery stations, sortation centres and the company’s UK head offices in London and Manchester and its three development centres in Edinburgh, Cambridge and London.

There are over 1,000 apprentices currently taking part in Amazon’s apprenticeship programme. More than 500 Amazon employees have already completed apprenticeships and gone on to build successful careers within the company.

One graduate of the Amazon apprenticeship scheme is Evelina Slavova who secured a place on the Amazon apprenticeship programme in 2018. She has worked across multiple departments in a number of roles and is now an area manager with Amazon in Tilbury.

She said: “When I joined the Amazon Apprenticeship programme, I was struggling with confidence and didn’t think I was good enough to progress. The apprenticeship gave me confidence and opened my mind to a new way of thinking, and that has been critical in helping me develop into different roles at Amazon. Since completing my course, I have achieved several promotions at Amazon. If you’re thinking about doing an apprenticeship, then my advice is to go for it. It has given my career an amazing boost and has set me up for many more happy years with Amazon.”

John Boumphrey, Amazon UK country manager, said: “We are very proud to be providing opportunities for upskilling and retraining for people of all ages, at all stages of their careers, helping to address skills gaps and increase social mobility.

“After the success of last year’s programme, we are pleased to be expanding to new regions across the UK and in new disciplines like corporate responsibility and sustainability. Amidst a backdrop of skills shortages across the country, apprenticeships are key to equipping people with the skills they need to progress in the modern labour market.”

Minister for Skills Alex Burghart said: “Apprenticeships give people the chance to earn while they learn and deliver the skilled workforce employers need to grow their business.

“There has never been a better time to do an apprenticeship, and it is fantastic to see top companies like Amazon offering 1,500 more people the opportunity to gain the skills they need to build a successful career."

Amazon employees can also take advantage of Amazon’s pioneering Career Choice programme, which pre-pays 95% of tuition for courses in high-demand fields, up to £8,000 over four years, regardless of whether the skills are relevant to a career at Amazon.