Amazon launches Youth Promise with 30,000 entry-level jobs for young people
Amazon is committing 30,000 entry-level roles to people aged 18 to 24 until 2030.
The retailer has launched the Amazon Youth Promise, which it says is its most comprehensive package of support ever to help young people into work.
Subscribe to TRBThe permanent and seasonal fixed-term roles roles will be targeted at young people in areas with the fewest opportunities and will be operational positions, including picking, packing and shipping.
Amazon is also expanding its support for young people by trebling the number of work experience places it offers each year, from around 900 this year to more than 3,000 a year by 2030, taking the total to 10,000.
It has also expanded its programmes for care leavers and young people with special educational needs, and introduced new recruitment events and new support for those applying for jobs.
There are around a million young people in the UK who are not in education, employment or training, the highest rate in a decade. Amazon said the Youth Promise is designed to reach them, with jobs that do not require a CV or prior work experience.
All roles will start at £15.10 per hour, the equivalent of more than £31,000 a year pro rata, and will include access to private medical insurance and a pension from day one.
John Boumphrey, Amazon UK country manager, said: “When I visit our sites, I meet young people who had no idea where to start six months ago.
“They didn’t have a CV. They didn’t have experience. What they had was a positive attitude and a willingness to learn. For many, Amazon was their first step into work. The Youth Promise is about reaching and supporting more people like them, in the places where those first chances are hardest to find.”
Amazon said every 18 to 24 year old who applies for a role at Amazon and is unsuccessful will receive a follow-up email with practical guidance, links to organisations that offer free help finding work, and a direct link to reapply when the next roles open up for them.
Boumphrey said: “Applying for your first job can feel overwhelming, and too many young people get lost in the process.
“Our commitment is that every young person who applies to Amazon gets something useful from the experience, whether that’s the job, a work experience placement, or practical help to improve their chances next time. No CV required – you just need a willingness to learn and a positive attitude.”
