Amazon to invest a further £23 million in skills training for UK employees
Amazon has announced that it is investing a further £23 million in skills training for employees across the UK.
The news comes as a study by the online retail giant found that 61% of UK workers believe that on-the-job-skills training or apprenticeships are more valuable for preparing people for work than traditional university degrees. The The Amazon Future of Work & Career Development European study also found that 79% of UK employees think it is important to learn a new skill to improve their career path in the next 12 months.
Amazon has invested more than £55 million in training programmes in the UK since it launched its Career Choice programme in 2014. The programme provides 95% of pre-paid tuition, up to £8,000 over four years, for nationally recognised courses from more than 20 UK training providers.
To mark the 10-year anniversary of Career Choice, Amazon plans to invest a further £23 million in the UK this year. Currently, Amazon UK employees have access to more than 20 different programmes to help them maximise their potential within the company or outside of the business. Some of the new courses added to the UK in 2024 have included information security analyst, software tester and a supply chain specialist.
John Boumphrey, Amazon UK country manager, said: “The research reflects what we’re seeing in our workplace, and that is people in the UK want access to skills training programmes.
“Amazon is proud to have offered our upskilling Career Choice programme in the UK for the past 10 years and now to further expand on our courses options, so that thousands of employees across the UK can continue to advance their skills and take on new career opportunities at Amazon and beyond.”
