A group of apprentices working at Amazon’s buildings in Manchester are encouraging others to start an apprenticeship and boost their careers as Amazon announces the expansion of its apprenticeship programme with the addition of 1,000 new positions across the UK in 2024.

Amazon offers one of the UK’s top private sector apprenticeship schemes according to the Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers[1], including entry-level placements and more than 230 degree-level apprenticeships in programmes including accounting and data analysts.

Recruitment has now started for more than 30 different schemes, from sustainability to engineering, project management to product buying, and warehouse team leaders to health and safety technicians.

This year, Amazon is also launching new programmes including the digital product manager apprenticeship and the commercial procurement and supply apprenticeship. The range of different apprenticeship schemes reflect both Amazon’s diverse workforce and the communities it serves every day across the UK.

As well as offering hundreds of new roles to external candidates, more than half of the new apprenticeships will be offered to existing employees who will have the opportunity to retrain and gain new skills for an exciting new career path. In 2023, two thirds (67%) of new apprentices at Amazon were aged 25 and over, an increase of 10% year on year, which demonstrates the support apprenticeships provide in helping people pursue new careers.

Harry Frazer, Sophia Mellor, Megan Kearsley, Madeline Travis, Anna Taylor and Ernestas Truskauskas are all taking part in Amazon apprenticeships in Manchester.

Harry is from Manchester and works as a vendor manager for Amazon Fresh at Amazon’s corporate office in the city. He is currently studying an apprenticeship in Buying and Merchandising through the Amazon Apprenticeship programme and will complete his course in the summer of 2025.

Sophia is from Blackpool and is a project management apprentice at Amazon’s corporate office in Manchester. She is studying an Associate Project Manager apprenticeship and will complete the two-year programme later this year.

Megan, from Windermere, is a recruitment consultant apprentice at Amazon’s Manchester office. She joined the Amazon Apprenticeship programme in the summer of 2023 and will complete her course in early 2025.

Madeline works at the Amazon fulfilment centre in Manchester as a safety specialist apprentice. She moved from Keswick to Manchester for her apprenticeship in June 2022.

Anna is a team lead at Amazon’s fulfilment centre in Manchester. She lives in Knutsford and is currently completing an Operational Departmental Management apprenticeship at Amazon, back-to-back with a fast-tracked Chartered Management Degree apprenticeship.

Ernestas works at the Amazon fulfilment centre in Manchester as an area manager and is completing Amazon’s degree apprenticeship in chartered management. He lives in Stockport and joined the company six years ago in a temporary role.

Harry joined Amazon after completing a BTEC in Applied Law with Business at Trafford College. He finished his course in the summer of 2023 and joined Amazon’s Apprenticeship programme. He explains why he joined Amazon:

“I see the Amazon Apprenticeship programme as a way to fast-track my career,” he says. “It’s an opportunity to gain experience, under the guidance of industry experts, while also getting a foundation degree. Amazon also offers great career opportunities post-apprenticeship, which is appealing to me.”

The pull to Amazon was similar for Sophia, who says: “Amazon was a real draw for me because of the culture, the development opportunities and the potential for future travel with my role. Coming out of sixth form, I felt Amazon offered me the most unique experience and I’m glad to be part of the team!”

For Megan, an apprenticeship was a tool to switch her career path from hospitality after moving home from Australia.

“I moved to Manchester after the end of the pandemic and became curious about apprenticeships,” she says. “I didn’t think an apprenticeship would work for me because of my age, but when I learned more about Amazon’s apprenticeships, I decided to apply. Some of my friends work in recruitment and I thought their jobs sounded interesting, and that’s why I’m studying and working as a recruitment consultant with Amazon here in Manchester.”

“I’m glad that I’ve landed this role at Amazon. It’s a great company, with a supportive team, and I’m learning so much,” added Megan.

Madeline graduated from Sheffield Hallam University with a degree in Education with Psychology and Counselling. After university, she wasn’t sure what to do.

She had always had an interest in health and safety and the systems that were put in place in the workplace to keep people safe, so she decided to apply for an apprenticeship at Amazon. She says:

“I applied because it interested me, but didn’t think much of it as I didn’t have any health and safety experience and wasn’t sure what I could draw from my skill set for the role. I just thought the interview process would be a good learning experience, but I ended up getting it!”

Madeline is due to finish her apprenticeship in June this year and would love to stay within Amazon in the health and safety field.

Anna, who joined Amazon after leaving school in 2022, has learned a lot during her apprenticeship with Amazon, but she shares the most important thing she’s taken away so far:

“No matter your academic ability, if you are willing and determined to try new things this will take you much further than just having skills. You’ll be able to adapt and learn new skill sets, which is more valuable to your team than results on paper.”

Ernestas is in his final year of the apprenticeship programme and is set to finish his degree with Manchester Metropolitan University in the summer.

He shares his favourite thing about working at Amazon: “My favourite thing about working at Amazon is the opportunities that are provided to me. As an apprentice, I am supported to pursue things I would like to learn more about and explore different areas within Amazon that I might not have considered before. I’ve had amazing support from Amazon and from my university since day one.”

Nicola Drury, Head of Skills and Apprenticeships at Amazon, said: “Every year we look forward to recruiting ambitious and enthusiastic apprentices to join our teams working to deliver for customers all over the UK. Whether they’re retraining to begin a new and exciting career, or gaining new skills to take their career in a new direction, we’re proud to provide opportunities for people to find their dream roles.”

The 1,000 new apprenticeships highlight Amazon’s ongoing commitment to creating jobs and training opportunities for people across the UK. Once qualified, apprentices will have the opportunity to work across Amazon’s UK sites including fulfilment centres, delivery stations, sortation centres as well as corporate offices in London and Manchester, and four development centres in Cambridge, Edinburgh, London, and Swansea.

Amazon apprentices work across a wide variety of different schemes in hundreds of teams, from software developers in Prime Video, buyers in fashion, and production in Amazon Studios. This year apprentices could be a solutions architect in Amazon Web Services, a marketer in Amazon Music, or work with cutting-edge technology in operations as an engineer.

Since 2021, Amazon has pledged £8m supporting over 400 SMEs with apprenticeships via the apprenticeship levy transfer service. To date, Amazon has supported over 750 apprentices across a wide range of schemes including adult care, data, dental nurses and broadcast production assistants.

In addition to the apprenticeship schemes, Amazon employees can also take advantage of Amazon’s pioneering Career Choice programme, which pre-pays up to 95% of tuition and fees 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.

Competitive pay, comprehensive benefits and a modern, safe and engaging work environment is provided for its employees. The roles pay a minimum of £11.80 or £12.50 per hour, rising from April to between £12.30 and £13 per hour, depending on location, and up to £33,500 a year for degree-level apprenticeships. All employees also receive a benefits package that includes private medical insurance, life assurance, income protection, and an employee discount – which combined are worth thousands annually – as well as a company pension plan.

Amazon has been named as a ‘Top Employer UK 2024’ by the Top Employer Institute, one of the world’s most prestigious certifications in the field of human resources management. This award recognises Amazon’s commitment to the development and well-being of its employees. In addition to the UK accolade, Amazon has also been certified as one of the Top Employers in Europe for the second consecutive year. https://www.aboutamazon.co.uk/news/top-employer-2024
Applications are now open for Amazon’s apprenticeship programme. For more information, visit: www.amazonapprenticeships.co.uk