Luton-local, Imad, is a reliability and maintenance engineering apprentice working at Amazon in nearby Dunstable. Imad started his apprenticeship with Amazon in 2017 and is working towards a qualification to become a reliability and maintenance engineer after four years of training with Amazon and Midland Group Training Services in Coventry.
Speaking about the Amazon Apprenticeship Programme, Imad said, “one of the reasons why I applied for a place on the Amazon Apprenticeship Programme is that I learn something new every day. The support I get from the engineers and managers is brilliant. I wanted to have an apprenticeship to have the skills to progress my career and this role really offers me that.”
I wanted to have an apprenticeship to have the skills to progress my career
“I love that Amazon, being a company located around the world, attracts many different languages and people with real diversity. Also, I love that we can have training in other countries and to see what other markets are doing. It’s such a great experience for me.”
Before coming to Amazon, Imad was studying forensic science and chemistry. "I always studied science related-subjects but I thought engineering would be a good option to go into because I love problem solving and challenges, so I guess it’s been a natural path for me,” he said.
“The top things I have learned so far have been how to meet deadlines, how to fix absolutely anything in a safe way, always putting safety first and focusing on the customer needs. That’s all been very important for me.”
Imad is one of over 300 apprentices currently working at Amazon in the UK. Amazon has announced it will create a further 1,000 new apprenticeships for new and existing employees in fulfilment centres and development centres across the country. The new apprentices will add to over 27,500 permanent employees currently in the UK, with pay ranging from an entry level starting salary of £9.50/£10.50 an hour, up to £30,000 a year.
Nine different programmes are on offer across the country to people of all levels, ranging from IT, safety and HR through to software engineering, robotics, leadership and technology.
Two-in-every-ten new apprenticeships will be offered exclusively to Amazon’s existing workforce, providing a route from working on the shop floor through to working on cutting-edge software development, robotics technology and senior leadership roles in the business.
In addition to being fully-funded, apprentices also receive industry-leading benefits including competitive pay, employee discounts, private medical insurance and company pension plan.
For anyone thinking of applying for a place on the Amazon Apprenticeship Programme, Imad has some advice, “just go for it – be ready to have fun and work hard and make history!”
To find out more about the Amazon Apprenticeship Programme visit www.amazon.jobs/apprentices
