Surrounded by stunning scenery and filled with attractions that include a Norman abbey, a royal palace and a racing circuit, Dunfermline, located three miles from the northern shore of the Firth of Forth, is home to Amazon fulfilment centre EDI4. Named after the nearest airport, Edinburgh, the fulfilment centre holds millions of small to medium items, from iPhone cases and cuddly toys to consumer electronics.
Alexandra Stewart joined the Amazon fulfilment centre in Dunfermline on a temporary basis in 2011, and enjoyed it so much that she became a permanent employee in 2012. Since then Alexandra has enjoyed a number of different roles including being a trainer, helping support and coach new starters and being a safety coordinator.
“I love working at Amazon because I find myself doing something different every day and the people I work with are like my family.
I enjoy the encouragement which Amazon have given me over the years and when I needed to cut down on my hours to look after my dad they were very flexible. This gave me more time with my dad so he could stay in his own house!” said Alex.
As part of a programme called ‘I Found the Right Place’ Amazon invited employees from fulfilment centres across the UK to explain what they like best about working at Amazon and why it is the right place for them. More than 800 employees from across the UK and dozens from each site put pen to paper.
I am now looking forward to studying for my CIPD with the support of the Career Choice programme at Amazon. I believe Amazon is a great place to work and I encourage people to apply and hope I can continue to enjoy many more years,” Alex wrote in her entry.
All of the entries were anonymised and the best entry from each fulfilment centre was chosen. The chosen employees were invited on an all-expenses-paid trip to Seattle, U.S., to explore the Amazon head office and see where it all started.
During the five-day trip to Seattle, Alex and Amazon colleagues from sites across the UK were shown around the city and enjoyed a trip up the Space Needle. They also went on a tour of the Amazon campus and the robotics fulfilment centre in Kent, Washington, where they met Amazon’s chief scientist.
"The whole trip has been amazing; the people that I have met have been amazing, it’s been lovely to see everyone and to hear their stories” said Alex when discussing her favourite part of the trip.
