Shannia Daley from Luton always knew she wanted a career in tech so, when the opportunity to take an apprenticeship as an infrastructure technician at Amazon came up in nearby Hemel Hempstead, she had to grab it.
Shannia started her apprenticeship with Amazon in 2018 and is working towards an infrastructure technician qualification after a year of training and study with Amazon and QA training. Her goal is to become a network engineer.
Speaking about the Amazon Apprenticeship Programme, Shannia said,“I’ve always wanted to work in a tech role, for as long as I can remember. I really enjoy the opportunity for technology to blend creativity with learning and this made the Amazon Apprenticeship Programme the perfect platform for me.”
I’ve always wanted to work in a tech role, for as long as I can remember
In her role at Amazon, is there such a thing as a typical day? “Not at all! Every day is different, and that’s what I love about it. In any given day, I can be replacing equipment, solving problems, setting up computers and running general checks. It’s great.”
When asked about what she’s enjoying the most about the programme, Shannia said: “I love the environment of the fulfilment centre in Hemel Hempstead because it’s constantly moving and always evolving. The team here is great and I’m always learning lots from them, every single day. I’ve also enjoyed the training courses and workshops that we get to take part in – sometimes we travel to different parts of the country, which is great.”
Shannia 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, Shannia has some advice. “Don’t be afraid to try and don’t be afraid that you won’t fit in. Lots of places will ask for ten years of experience for some roles, but at Amazon they’re willing to train you and you can join the company at any level. There are lots of opportunities to succeed here – go for it!”
To find out more about the Amazon Apprenticeship Programme visit www.amazon.jobs/apprentices
