Rugeley apprentice helps Amazon announce 1,000 new UK apprenticeships

A Rugeley apprentice has helped Amazon announce that it is creating more than 1,000 new apprenticeships in the UK in 2025. The Amazon apprenticeship programme, recognised as one of the UK's top apprenticeship schemes by the Government’s Department for Education, will offer a wide range of opportunities across the country in Amazon businesses including Amazon Web Services (AWS), Prime Video, and Amazon Devices and Services.

Rafael Marques from Rugeley is currently taking part in the programme and is sharing his story to encourage others to consider an apprenticeship.  

Rafael lives in Rugeley and is a workplace health and safety technician at the Amazon delivery station in Stoke. Rafael has worked at Amazon for four years and since 2022, he’s been on the Amazon Apprenticeship programme as part of a Safety, Health and Environmental apprenticeship.  

Rafael, who will complete his apprenticeship later this year, joined Amazon in 2021 after a 10-year career in the aviation industry. When the pandemic impacted his career, he applied for a temporary position at Amazon and quickly began rising through the ranks.  

“I needed a second job to support my income during COVID-19 and saw a temporary role at Amazon,” he said. “I thought it would be a good role to tide me over for a while, but then I started to notice the different opportunities available at Amazon and one of those opportunities was the Amazon Apprenticeship programme,” he said. 

Rafael explains how his former career helped shape his new one when he decided to apply for an apprenticeship. “Working in aviation involves a lot of safety training and awareness,” he said. “When I saw the Safety, Health and Environmental apprenticeship, a lot of the courses chimed with what I’d learned before, so it felt like a great fit for me.

“I was enjoying my job, but I wanted to develop my skills and grow my career, and the apprenticeship offered me the chance to do that in an area that I was familiar with. I’m glad I made the decision to apply as I’ve enjoyed everything I’ve done on my apprenticeship journey.” 

As he nears the end of his apprenticeship, Rafael reflects on the highlights of the programme so far. “I’ve loved the group learning – the opportunity to meet likeminded people and experience the programme with them,” he said. “We’ve been in a team, learning together, and this has offered me so much support and guidance and I’m thankful for that. Sometimes, learning new skills can be daunting but the support I’ve received at Amazon, particularly from my managers, has been amazing and it’s helped me to grow my knowledge and my confidence.” 

Rafael concludes by revealing the advice he’d offer anyone who is thinking about joining an apprenticeship programme. “People ask me a lot – should I do an apprenticeship – and my answer is always yes! The structure of the programme at Amazon, along with the pay and benefits on offer, makes it possible to learn, earn and grow. I would recommend an apprenticeship to anyone who wants to improve their skills, move into a new industry or start a new career. It’s been fantastic for me.” 

"Apprenticeships have been a big focus for Amazon for over a decade, and we're excited to continue creating opportunities for people to start and grow their careers through the announcement of 1,000 new UK apprenticeships in 2025," added John Boumphrey, UK Country Manager at Amazon. "The Amazon Apprenticeship programme is perfect for people of all ages who are either taking their first step on the career ladder, or for those who want to pursue a new path. This is one of the many ways we continue to create opportunities for people inside and outside Amazon to learn new skills and gain new qualifications."

Recruitment is now underway across more than 40 different programmes, including data science and cyber security, HR, marketing, engineering, health and safety, and warehouse operations. The majority of courses now also include generative AI training, and this year, Amazon is also launching new programmes including creative industries production, data centre operations, and facilities operations.

Since the launch of the Amazon Apprenticeship programme in 2013, Amazon has offered 7,000 apprenticeships in the UK. There are currently around 2,000 apprentices in the programme, making it one of the largest and broadest apprenticeship schemes in the UK. Since 2021, Amazon has committed £11 million supporting 650 small and medium-sized businesses, third sector organisations, and public sector bodies including the NHS with more than 1,000 apprenticeships. This is through the apprenticeship levy transfer scheme, across a wide range of schemes including adult care, data, dental nurses and broadcast production assistants.

Young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) can also take advantage of the Amazon Supported Internship programme. Launched in 2021, the initiative combines classroom learning with practical work experience; helping interns develop essential skills in English, Maths, and CV writing, while gaining hands-on experience across three operational job functions.

Pay at Amazon starts from £13.50 or £14.50 per hour depending on location, equating to between £28,000 and £30,000 annually. Additionally, from day one, all employees are offered a comprehensive benefits package including private medical insurance, life assurance, income protection, and an employee discount. Together, these benefits are worth more than £700 annually, and employees can take advantage of a company pension plan. 

Applications are now open for Amazon’s apprenticeship programme. For more information, visit: amazonapprenticeships.co.uk  

 [1] https://apprenticeshipguide.co.uk/department-for-education-reveals-top-100-employers-rankings-2024/