A children’s charity in Dumfries has received a donation of 1,300 educational books from the team at Amazon’s fulfilment centre in Dunfermline.
Aberlour Children’s Charity supports disadvantaged children and families across Scotland. The charity offers tailored services such as addiction recovery, disability care and residential and foster care for children who are unable to live with their families.
The team from Amazon in Dunfermline visited the charity’s hub in Dumfries to deliver 1,300 educational books. The books will be used in Aberlour’s community library in its Dumfries, Annan and Stranraer hubs as well as being gifted to children and young people Aberlour support across Dumfries and Galloway
Jamie Strain, General Manager at Amazon in Dunfermline, said: “At Amazon, supporting people in need is an essential part of our work with the community.
“The care and compassion that the staff and volunteers at Aberlour Children’s Charity have for the people they meet is truly admirable, and we’re glad to play a small part in their outreach. We hope this donation of books can make a positive change.”
Jonathan McClean, an employee at Amazon in Dunfermline who helped deliver the books, added: “The support Aberlour Children’s Charity provides to the community is transformative.
“I had the pleasure of seeing how happy the staff were to see our donation and recognise the impact this will have for children across Scotland. The charity is creating brighter futures for those in need and I feel very grateful that we are able to support them to achieve this.”
Amanda McAllister, Service Manager from Aberlour Children’s Charity, added: “We really appreciate Amazon’s support with this donation of books.
“Their contribution to our work will directly impact the lives of children and families we support across Dumfries and Galloway, which is priceless to us. Thank you, Jamie and team!”
Community donations and employee volunteering are just two of the ways Amazon supports the communities where it operates. Amazon co-founded the Multibank initiative with former UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown to support families in poverty.
The first Multibank, ‘The Big Hoose’, opened in Fife providing surplus essentials like nappies, toilet rolls, toothpaste and school uniforms, donated by Amazon and others, directly to those in need. The initiative has gone on to donate more than 2 million goods to over 200,000 families across Scotland and Greater Manchester.
Amazon also helps community organisations transport meals and other essentials to families in need through its pro bono logistics programme, Amazon Local Good, including more than seven million healthy breakfasts to children at risk of hunger in partnership with Magic Breakfast.
Amazon partners with Comic Relief to help people tackle poverty and is the official home of the charity’s iconic Red Nose.
Last year, together with its employees, customers, and partners, Amazon raised over £4.8 million to fund projects that support people struggling with the cost-of-living crisis and tackle issues such as homelessness, mental health problems, and food insecurity across the UK, and around the world.
A charity supporting children and families in Edinburgh has received a £4,000 donation from the team at Amazon Development Centre Scotland.
The donation was made to The Yard, a charity that has been involved with the Edinburgh community for more than 35 years. The Yard supports disabled children, young people, and their families through creative and inclusive play experiences.
The donation from Amazon will go towards The Yard’s ongoing programmes and services, including their family sessions.
Colin Mackenzie is a Software Development Engineer at Amazon Development Centre Scotland in Edinburgh, and he nominated the charity for the support. Colin said: “The team at Amazon Development Centre Scotland has supported The Yard for several years with donations and tech support.
“It’s been a joy to see how impactful the charity’s support can be to families across Edinburgh. Its work in the local community directly benefits families and with Amazon’s donation, The Yard can continue to support those in need.”
Hannah Dunlop, Senior Fundraising Manager from The Yard, added: “It’s wonderful to receive so much support from Amazon Development Centre Scotland.
On behalf of the staff and volunteers at The Yard, I would like to say thank you to Amazon for its continued support.
“This contribution will provide vital support and opportunities for disabled children and their families to connect, play, and thrive together.”
The donation forms part of Amazon’s Volunteer Cash Donation Programme, where Amazon employees nominate causes where they volunteer their time, to receive a cash donation. In collaboration with hundreds of community organisations around the world, Amazon employees are encouraged to volunteer and support causes they’re passionate about.
Community cash donations and employee volunteering are just two of the ways Amazon supports the communities where it operates.
In 2022, Amazon co-founded the Multibank initiative with former Prime Minister Gordon Brown to support families experiencing poverty. The first Multibank, ‘The Big Hoose’, opened in Lochgelly, Fife providing surplus essentials like nappies, toilet rolls, toothpaste and school uniforms, donated by businesses like Amazon and others, directly to those in need.
The initiative has gone on to donate more than 2 million goods to over 200,000 families across Scotland and Greater Manchester.
Amazon also helps community organisations transport meals and other essentials to families in need through its pro bono logistics programme, Amazon Local Good, including more than seven million healthy breakfasts to children at risk of hunger in partnership with Magic Breakfast.
Amazon partners with Comic Relief to help people tackle poverty and is the official home of the charity’s iconic Red Nose. Last year, together with its employees, customers, and partners, Amazon raised over £4.8 million to fund projects that support people struggling with the cost-of-living crisis and tackle issues such as homelessness, mental health problems, and food insecurity across the UK, and around the world.
Amazon has supported more than 500,000 students across the UK with free computer science and STEM education programmes through Amazon Future Engineer.
Amazon offers one of the top private sector apprenticeship programmes in the UK, with opportunities across more than 30 different schemes
New apprenticeship opportunities on offer in 2024, including digital product manager, are in addition to schemes in buying and merchandising, cyber security, marketing and creative design
Over 50% of the apprenticeships will be offered to existing Amazon employeesto retrain and gain new skills
Amazon, ADCS, Tiphaine Brydniak
Two apprentices at Amazon’s Development Centre in Edinburgh are encouraging others to start an apprenticeship and boost their careers after Amazon announced the expansion of its apprenticeship programme with the addition of 1,000 new positions across the UK in 2024.
Amazon offers one of the UK’s top private sector apprenticeship schemes according to the Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers[1], including entry-level placements and more than 230 degree-level apprenticeships in programmes including accounting and data analysts.
Recruitment has now started for more than 30 different schemes, from sustainability to engineering, project management to product buying, and warehouse team leaders to health and safety technicians.
This year, Amazon is also launching new programmes including the digital product manager apprenticeship and the commercial procurement and supply apprenticeship. The range of different apprenticeship schemes reflect both Amazon’s diverse workforce and the communities it serves every day across the UK.
As well as offering hundreds of new roles to external candidates, more than half of the new apprenticeships will be offered to existing employees who will have the opportunity to retrain and gain new skills for an exciting new career path. In 2023, two thirds (67%) of new apprentices at Amazon were aged 25 and over, an increase of 10% year on year, which demonstrates the support apprenticeships provide in helping people pursue new careers.
An apprentice who is currently taking part in the programme is Tiphaine Brydniak, from the Amazon Development Centre in Edinburgh.
Tiphaine is a software development engineer (SDE) apprentice at the Amazon Development Centre in Edinburgh. She’s been in the role since 2021 and is due to complete the apprenticeship in 2025 in conjunction with Edinburgh Napier University.
Tiphaine had been working as an accountant in London for seven years before switching her career path to tech. She’d been interested in the industry since school, initially in web development and video game design, but her lack of experience made her nervous to explore new job opportunities.
When she was on a career break from accountancy, Tiphaine’s partner bought her access to an online course in programming. At the same time, she started building a mobile app for herself to track the birds she spotted. She found she enjoyed the broad scope of tech, and became determined to make a career switch.
In 2021, Tiphaine was accepted onto the Amazon Software Development Engineering apprenticeship, and she hasn’t looked back since.
“At the beginning of my apprenticeship I felt like I knew nothing, and I definitely had a bit of imposter syndrome,” Tiphaine said. “Over the years, I’ve realised that even senior development engineers feel that way sometimes, and it’s part of our growth. I’ve never once felt like I can’t ask my managers questions, and have been supported every step of the way – it’s been brilliant.”
Tiphaine shared what her favourite thing about working at Amazon is, saying: “I’ve rotated through a number of roles during my apprenticeship, which has allowed me to experience different parts of the business. On every team, I’ve played a part in high-impact projects that have complex and interesting problems to solve. You’re not restricted by being an apprentice at Amazon; you get to be fully part of the team.”
Tiphaine has some advice for people thinking of applying for an apprenticeship with Amazon, particularly if it involves changing career later in life: “If you’re worried about going back to uni, you don’t need to be. The split of ‘mature’ students and first timers on this apprenticeship course is about 50/50, which made the experience less daunting for me. It’s important to reflect on how far you’ve come and how much you’ve achieved, and you can do that again in something new.”
Declan Fisher from Livingston is also software development engineer apprentice at Amazon in Edinburgh. He started at the company in August 2021 and is due to complete his apprenticeship later this year.
Declan left school in 2019 and started a degree at Heriot-Watt University studying Maths with Computer Science. He says:
“I had just left school and wanted some freedom, but I don’t think I was ready for university. After two months, I left and took a year out while working part-time at a supermarket. The pandemic also hit that year, so I spent a lot of time considering what it was I wanted to do going forward. I knew I wanted something to challenge me a bit while I was also earning money.
“My mum had told me to look at apprenticeships when I was at school, but it wasn’t until I was older that I went back and had a look at apprenticeships online. I liked the sound of getting paid while I work and study.
“I applied for a few apprenticeships, really anything technical I could find at the time. I knew I liked computers, but I didn’t know how to program at all. I got offered a data analytics role at a different company and did that for a year. During my time there, I realised I enjoyed the programming side but in that role we only did quite simple data analysis. It was a bit repetitive, and I wanted something more, so I started looking for something new and applied for an SDE role at Amazon.”
Declan explains what he is enjoying most about his apprenticeship at Amazon: “It’s such a different way to learn compared to university. I learn a lot more on the job than I would’ve at university, and other apprentices in my cohort have said the same. I like that it’s hands-on experience, and it’s good to be getting paid at the same time.
“I was drawn to Amazon specifically because I’ve always wanted to work in tech, and it’s a household-name tech company, so my heart was set from the beginning. Amazon is a really exciting company to be a part of and there’s lots to get involved in. Just recently we had a social night in the office, had a takeaway and doing some fun team activities.
“The field of technology is constantly developing, and I’ve realised there’s never going to be a time where you’re not learning something new. I always assumed if you were higher up in the company, you’d know everything, but that’s not the case. We’re always learning And developing our skills and knowledge further.
Declan has some advice for anyone considering an apprenticeship at Amazon:
“Make sure you’re passionate about the subject you’re applying for and know it well before you go for an interview. In the same vein, don’t be afraid to apply if you feel underqualified, because the apprenticeship is designed to take someone who doesn’t have any experience and train them to be a skilled engineer.”
After he completes his apprenticeship later this year, Declan hopes to stay at Amazon and progress within the company as a software development engineer.
Nicola Drury, Head of Skills and Apprenticeships at Amazon, said: “Every year we look forward to recruiting ambitious and enthusiastic apprentices to join our teams working to deliver for customers all over the UK. Whether they’re retraining to begin a new and exciting career, or gaining new skills to take their career in a new direction, we’re proud to provide opportunities for people to find their dream roles.”
The 1,000 new apprenticeships highlight Amazon’s ongoing commitment to creating jobs and training opportunities for people across the UK. Once qualified, apprentices will have the opportunity to work across Amazon’s UK sites including fulfilment centres, delivery stations, sortation centres as well as corporate offices in London and Manchester, and four development centres in Cambridge, Edinburgh, London, and Swansea.
Amazon apprentices work across a wide variety of different schemes in hundreds of teams, from software developers in Prime Video, buyers in fashion, and production in Amazon Studios. This year apprentices could be a solutions architect in Amazon Web Services, a marketer in Amazon Music, or work with cutting-edge technology in operations as an engineer.
Since 2021, Amazon has pledged £8m supporting over 400 SMEs with apprenticeships via the apprenticeship levy transfer service. To date, Amazon has supported over 750 apprentices across a wide range of schemes including adult care, data, dental nurses and broadcast production assistants.
In addition to the apprenticeship schemes, Amazon employees can also take advantage of Amazon’s pioneering Career Choice programme, which pre-pays up to 95% of tuition and fees for courses in high-demand fields, up to £8,000 over four years, regardless of whether the skills are relevant to a career at Amazon.
Competitive pay, comprehensive benefits and a modern, safe and engaging work environment is provided for its employees. The roles pay a minimum of £11.80 or £12.50 per hour, rising from April to between £12.30 and £13 per hour, depending on location, and up to £33,500 a year for degree-level apprenticeships. All employees also receive a benefits package that includes private medical insurance, life assurance, income protection, and an employee discount – which combined are worth thousands annually – as well as a company pension plan.
Amazon has been named as a ‘Top Employer UK 2024’ by the Top Employer Institute, one of the world’s most prestigious certifications in the field of human resources management. This award recognises Amazon’s commitment to the development and well-being of its employees. In addition to the UK accolade, Amazon has also been certified as one of the Top Employers in Europe for the second consecutive year. https://www.aboutamazon.co.uk/news/top-employer-2024
Applications are now open for Amazon’s apprenticeship programme. For more information, visit: www.amazonapprenticeships.co.uk
A women’s charity in Edinburgh has received a £2,000 donation from the Amazon Development Centre Scotland team in the city.
Smart Works Scotland provides unemployed women with clothing for interviews, coaching and confidence training to have a better opportunity of securing employment. Opening its doors in 2014, the charity has supported thousands of women into employment.
Stacy Lundquist, Software Development Engineer at Amazon Development Centre Scotland, nominated the charity for support because of its positive impact over the last decade. She said: “I nominated Smart Works for support due to the impactful work that they do.
“Not only does the charity operate in communities across Scotland, but it effectively and actively combats many issues that UN Women has frequently highlighted, such as women’s economic empowerment.
“The staff and volunteers at Smart Works ensure that no unemployed woman is left in the dark about the next steps to a career.”
Rachel Shields, from Smart Works Scotland, added: “Thank you to Stacy and the team at Amazon Development Centre Scotland for their support and recognition of our hard work.71% of our clients go on to get a job within one month of their time with us and, with donations like this, we can continue to help unemployed women reach their full potential.”
The donation forms part of Amazon’s Volunteer Cash Donation Programme, where Amazon employees nominate causes where they volunteer their time, to receive a cash donation. In collaboration with hundreds of community organisations around the world, Amazon employees are encouraged to volunteer and support causes they’re passionate about.
Community cash donations and employee volunteering are just two of the ways Amazon supports the communities where it operates.
In 2022, Amazon co-founded the Multibank initiative with former Prime Minister Gordon Brown to support families experinecing poverty. The first Multibank, ‘The Big Hoose’, opened in Lochgelly, Fife providing surplus essentials like nappies, toilet rolls, toothpaste and school uniforms, donated by businesses like Amazon and others, directly to those in need.
The initiative has gone on to donate more than 2 million goods to over 200,000 families across Scotland and Greater Manchester.
Amazon also helps community organisations transport meals and other essentials to families in need through its pro bono logistics programme, Amazon Local Good, including more than seven million healthy breakfasts to children at risk of hunger in partnership with Magic Breakfast.
Amazon partners with Comic Relief to help people tackle poverty and is the official home of the charity’s iconic Red Nose.
Last year, together with its employees, customers, and partners, Amazon raised over £2.7 million to fund projects that support people struggling with the cost-of-living crisis and tackle issues such as homelessness, mental health problems, and food insecurity across the UK, and around the world.
Amazon has supported more than 500,000 students across the UK with free computer science and STEM education programmes through Amazon Future Engineer.
Amazon, which has a fulfilment centre in Dunfermline, has been named as a Top Employer 2024 in the UK by the Top Employer Institute, one of the world’s most prestigious certifications in the field of human resources management. It recognises Amazon’s commitment to the development and wellbeing of its employees.
In addition to the UK accolade, awarded for the first time, Amazon has been certified as one of the Top Employers in Europe for a second consecutive year.
The Top Employer acknowledges companies’ commitment to a range of different areas of HR, including people strategy, work environment, talent acquisition, learning, diversity and inclusion, wellbeing and more.
Amazon’s certification in both the UK and Europe is confirmation that the company’s dedication to a better world of work extends internationally, acknowledging the hard work that colleagues are doing at all of its operations sites, including the site in Dunfermline, corporate offices, and research and development centres in across the region.
Amazon Dunfermline General Manager, Jamie Strain, said: “It’s an honour that Amazon has been certified as a Top Employer 2024 in the UK for our ongoing commitment to the development and wellbeing of our employees.
“Across our business, we strive to be Earth’s best employer and are committed to creating an innovative and engaging workplace where our teams across the UK, who come from all backgrounds, are proud to work.”
Top Employers Institute CEO David Plink says: “Exceptional times bring out the best in people and organisations. And we have witnessed this in our Top Employers Certification Programme this year: exceptional performance from the certified Top Employers 2024.
“These employers have always shown that they care for the development and wellbeing of their people. By doing so, they collectively enrich the world of work. We are proud to announce and celebrate this year’s group of leading people-oriented employers: the Top Employers 2024.”
Amazon is dedicated to continual improvement in the workplace, offering some of the most advanced workplaces of its kind in the world, with competitive pay, and processes and systems to ensure the wellbeing and safety of all employees.
Whether in its corporate offices, research and development centres or its operations network, Amazon has created all kinds of jobs for all kinds of people.
From those starting work with no formal qualifications to people with doctorate-level qualifications, from graduates and apprentices to people with decades of experience in the workplace, Amazon has created roles across its business where people can develop their careers and positively impact the lives of Amazon customers.
Amazon is proud to have a diverse workforce in the UK, where employees are encouraged to chart their own path, with programmes such as Career Choice and apprenticeships opening opportunities for education and growth.
Amazon also offers a range of great benefits that support employees and eligible family members, including domestic partners and their children. These comprehensive benefits begin on day one and include private medical insurance, life assurance, income protection, employee discount and commuter benefits.
This new recognition comes as Amazon was listed second on LinkedIn’s Top Companies 2023 list in the UK, as well as being certified a Level 3 Disability Confident ‘Leader’ in the UK, the highest level.
About the Top Employers Institute
Top Employers Institute is the global authority on recognising excellence in People Practices and has certified more than 2,300 organisations in 122 countries.These certified Top Employers positively impact the lives of over 9 million employees globally.
Scottish shoppers love hunting for second-hand deals – but when it comes to repairs, only one in five would mend a broken appliance
Half (49%) of consumers in Scotland say they enjoy looking for deals on second-hand and refurbished goods
More than one in three (39%) Scots would give a quality used or refurbished item to a loved one this Christmas as Amazon reveals the mostpopular ‘Second Chance’ shopping bargains
According to new research released today by Amazon, Scotland is a region of second-hand bargain hunters. Half (49%) say they enjoy hunting for deals on second-hand items, with almost a third (30%) saying they always seek second-hand or refurbished offers first.
The study also found 91% of people surveyed in Scotland check ‘used’ prices against new when shopping online, with 36% refusing to pay full price for anything, be it clothing, tech or homeware.
This openness to embracing quality used and refurbished products is likely to be reflected in Scotland’s Christmas stockings this festive season, with more than one in three people (39%) saying they would gift a quality second-hand item to a loved one.
Despite enthusiasm for buying second-hand and refurbished items, only one in four (23%) surveyed in Scotland would mend an appliance if it breaks. Instead of fixing it, 23% of adults surveyed in Scotland say they throw away items such as toasters and kettles when they break, while 36% say they recycle them.
The most common reasons for giving up on a repair were not knowing where to start and worrying that attempts to repair something would in fact make it worse. Amazon sold 4 million returned and refurbished products in the UK last year online through Amazon Second Chance (amazon.co.uk/amazonsecondchance), saving British customers more than £100 million.
In the first nine months of 2023, Amazon’s sales of second-hand goods in the UK increased by more than 15% compared to the same period last year.
Shoppers can bag bargains with up to 50% savings compared to recommended retail prices online and, for a limited time only, in person too at the new Second Chance Store in Central London.
The store also offers customers the chance to bring in broken home tech and laptops to its Repairs Zone for free advice and workshops on fixing them. In its opening week, home and kitchen items including upright hoovers and food blenders, game consoles and controllers, laptops, smartphones and toys were the most popular categories bought in the Second Chance Store.
“Some of the most popular products that people search for on Amazon are also available as quality second-hand items. When you buy second hand, you’re not just saving money, you are also giving a product a second chance. The beauty of second-hand shopping is that it’s like a treasure hunt. You never know what unique and valuable items you’ll discover while giving a second chance to pre-loved goods.” said Jamie Strain, General Manager at Amazon in Dunfermline.
Generational attitudes to pre-loved shopping
Nationally, Gen Z – those born after 1996 – are the ones most likely to buy pre-loved items, with 31% of the clothes they wear and 33% of the tech they own being second hand, on average, according to the survey. More than four in 10 (44%) surveyed typically shop pre-loved first, but fewer than one in three (30%) would repair a broken appliance.
Millennial shoppers – age 27 to 42 – are the most open to learning how to repair a broken tech item, with almost half (45%) surveyed saying they have visited a “repairs café” in the past 12 months. Nearly three quarters (72%) say they have successfully followed a DIY repairs video on YouTube.
The research also reveals that three in 10 Generation X shoppers – aged between 41 and 56 – look for second-hand deals first, but 27% admitted they wouldn’t trust themselves to do a ‘DIY repair’ at home, according to the research.
Baby Boomers surveyed are among the least likely to try to repair and prolong the life of their belongings, with just 28% looking for pre-loved items before new. Cutting costs is the biggest reason all age groups ‘bargain hunt’, with 87% believing it’s good to save money when shopping, even if they can afford to pay full price. 59% also feel it’s important to buy pre-loved, or to extend a product’s life, for the planet.
Customers can visit the Second Chance Store, stocked with quality returns from Amazon up until 12 December, with all sales proceeds going to Barnardo’s. Amazon also offers quality returned products year-round online at Amazon Second Chance (amazon.co.uk/amazonsecondchance), which also provides customers with information about product repair, recycling and trade-in for electronics. Purchases are backed by Amazon’s 30-day return policy and award-winning customer service.
Ten employees from Amazon in Dunfermline played a key role in the launch of a new Amazon retail shop for Barnardo’s this week, when they packed and shipped more than 3,500 product donations for the Second Chance Store in central London.
The product selection – consisting of returned and refurbished Amazon items put back on sale at a reduced cost – features in-demand Christmas gifts with up to 50% savings on recommended retail prices.
While thousands of items including nearly-new gaming consoles, personal tech, toys and games have been donated to the high street store located at London’s Brunswick Centre, the range reflects the millions of returned, refurbished and open-box items available to buy at a discount all year-round from amazon.co.uk/amazonsecondchance.
The website also provides customers with information about product repair, recycling in their local community and trade-in for electronics.
“Working on the launch of the Second Chance Store for Barnardo’s has been a great opportunity for us to come together as a team, have some fun and support a charity that does great work in our community in Dunfermline, and across the UK,” said Ben Robertson from Amazon’s Dunfermline fulfilment centre.
“It’s also a great way to help customers see the range and quality of returned and refurbished items that are available to buy from Amazon online every day of the year.”
“Amazon is committed to giving more products a second chance – both through helping customers shop pre-loved, and through programmes to recycle, trade-in and repair products, contributing to a more circular economy,” addedJohn Boumphrey, UK Country Manager, Amazon.
“Our Second Chance Store, with all proceeds going to Barnardo’s, is all about offering customers a great way to shop second-hand this festive season, while supporting a brilliant charity we have been working with for many years.”
Across the UK and Europe, customer demand has driven second-hand shopping on Amazon into a billion-pound business.
In the UK alone, Amazon gave a second chance to more than four million products last year, helping British customers save more than £100 million by buying used or refurbished products at a discount.
In the first nine months of 2023, Amazon’s sales of second-hand goods in the UK increased by more than 15% compared to the same period last year.
So far this year, Amazon has facilitated the donation of more than 13 million products to more than 2,000 charities across the UK through its Retail and Fresh operations, and its Fulfilment by Amazon (FBA) Donations, a programme which helps independent sellers using the Fulfilment by Amazon service donate their overstock or returned items automatically.
Charities including Barnardo’s, the British Heart Foundation, In Kind Direct, Scope and The Multibank initiative are amongst the donation recipients.
Product donations form one part of Amazon’s circular economy programme. In 2022, Amazon expanded its partnership with WRAP and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation to support a global circular economy for products.
The company is also supporting the development of a sorting technology to improve plastic packaging recycling through involvement in the Digital Watermarks Initiative HolyGrail 2.0, driven by AIM, European Brands Association and powered by the Alliance to End Plastic Waste.
The Amazon Second Chance Store is an expansion of Amazon’s existing relationship with Barnardo’s, with millions of products donated to the charity since 2019.
Amazon and Barnardo’s also launched a ground-breaking programme called the JOBS Project (Journey of Becoming Successful) which has supported 65 young people since 2021, with an ambition to help 500 people in the next five years, many of whom are care experienced, develop the skills needed to secure work and develop their careers.
As a signatory of the Care Leavers Covenant, Amazon is one of leading employers of care leavers in the UK.
A software development manager from Edinburgh has reflected on his 17-year career at Amazon to mark the company’s 25th anniversary in the UK.
Since Amazon.co.uk launched in the UK in 1998, Amazon has invested in innovation, local talent and communities across the UK through its world-class development centres in London, Cambridge, Edinburgh, Manchester and Swansea.
The company’s highly skilled workforce has been at the forefront of world-class innovations that are benefitting the lives of customers and employees around the world – from how people watch their favourite shows, to how they shop and work.
Tich Kent, who works at Amazon’s Development Centre Scotland in Edinburgh, is one of the employees who has shaped Amazon’s development in the UK and beyond. He has worked at Amazon since 2005, and has risen through the ranks ever since.
Tich is now a software development manager at Amazon’s Development Centre Scotland in Edinburgh. A tech trailblazer, he continues to revolutionise customer shopping experiences, while setting an example for future generations of software engineers. As Amazon reaches 25 years in the UK, he shares his 17-year career story.
Tich joined Amazon in 2005 and hasn’t looked back since. He was part of the team who coined Amazon’s personalised recommendation tool that suggests items to customers based on their previous purchases and browsing behaviour.
“When I first joined Amazon, we were only selling books, music and DVDs. I was here when we introduced Prime delivery in the UK, and I was part of making the home page on Amazon as helpful to customers as it is today.
As you can imagine, we’ve embraced different ways on how to use AI to make the experience even better, so things keep changing and evolving. We’re still at the forefront of jumping on new technology and applying it to benefit our customers.”
Speaking about innovating in this space, Tich says: “By bringing a team of machine-learning scientists and engineers together, we were able to genuinely innovate. Formulating this team was thrilling, as we were working on novel technologies that applied deep learning to a scale that hadn’t been done before, and in such an exciting space.
What Tich and his team did next transformed the customer shopping experience for everyday items. “When we were looking at product recommendations, most approaches filtered out products the customer had previously purchased. This is good in general, but there are a range of products like shampoo and toiletries that need to be repeatedly purchased.
“I was responsible for creating a team to help customers by recommending such repeat products in a timely and engaging manner. It was the first time I had created a team from scratch, setting the vision, experimenting with ideas and measuring our impact. When we had our first successful launch, that validated the team and our approach. I’m still incredibly proud of what we achieved for our customers in such a short space of time.”
Alongside his work at the development centre, Tich is one of the leads for the Amazon Bar Raiser Programme in Europe. A bar raiser is an interviewer at Amazon who is brought into the hiring process to be an objective third party. The goal of the programme is to raise the standard with every new Amazon hire, ensuring that the company is always serving, surprising and innovating for customers.
Tich spoke about why the programme is so important, saying: “Amazon’s bar raiser programme is such a valuable tool, because it means we’ll always be getting the very best talent into the business, so we can keep on innovating, having an experimental mindset, and taking big leaps to solve problems.
“For me personally, the programme also means that I’ve seen incredibly talented people grow and develop over the years. This has been hugely satisfying.”
As a member of Amazon’s community initiatives committee, Tich has also had the opportunity over the years to engage with the community around Amazon Development Centre Scotland. As a Linlithgow local, this is something Tich cares deeply about.
“Another aspect of doing good business is making a positive impact the communities around you. We regularly donate to local charities, many of which I’ve developed a personal relationship with over the past decade. It’s simply being responsible.
“We’re also embracing Amazon’s apprenticeship scheme, and with two apprentices in my own team, I love seeing how the programme continues to grow. There’s so much yet to be done, and I’m excited to be part of it.”
Since Amazon.co.uk launched in the UK in 1998, its mission from day one has been: what can deliver the best experience for customers?
It’s this customer obsession that has been the driving force behind every new product, service and technology that also benefits the lives of communities, small businesses and employees – including the software that enables customers to watch their favourite shows on any device, the just-walk-out technology simplifying how shoppers get their groceries, and the latest robotics helping to pick out customer parcels.
Innovation at Amazon starts with people. The company employs around 75,000 employees who innovate on behalf of customers every day. Amazon is a significant contributor to productivity and regional growth in key cities around the UK, through development sites and collaboration with academic and research institutions.
Amazon offers new term-time contracts, providing its operations employees in Dunfermline and across the UK guaranteed time off during Summer, Easter and Christmas holidays, enabling more time with their children
The innovative contract is part of a wider flexibility boost which also includes a part-time pick-your-shift option
Amazon has launched an innovative new contract that offers parents, grandparents and guardians of school-age children the choice to work term-time only.
The new contracts, available at the Dunfermline fulfilment centre, guarantee time off for the six-week Summer break, as well as the two-week Easter and Christmas holiday periods, without affecting the comprehensive range of benefits they receive, including private medical insurance and life assurance.
The contracts, aimed at better supporting family needs, were successfully trialed at three sites following employee feedback, and are now being phased in for employees in Dunfermline and across all Amazon’s fulfilment centres – the places where Amazon store, pick and pack items for sale. They will be rolled out to sort centres and delivery stations across the UK later this year.
Amazon also announced a new flexible part-time contract for a minimum of 80 hours a month which lets employees pick and mix the shifts which suit their needs; part-day or full-day, day or night, weekday or weekend. The contract will support people who are unable to find work due to family or other commitments that require flexibility, return to the workplace.
As with all roles at Amazon, a current employee could refer a friend or family member to this option, which could also provide similar, required flexibility to a partner at home. The part-time contract, piloted at five fulfilment centres and now being expanded to a further seven sites, was also introduced as a result of employee feedback.
Jamie Strain, General Manager at Amazon in Dunfermline, said:“We’ve listened to our employees’ views on flexible working and I’m really proud that we’ve introduced new and innovative options based on their feedback.
“Both of these contracts put a really important emphasis on work-life balance and I’m certain they’re going to make a positive difference for many of our people.”
John Boumphrey, Amazon’s UK Country Manager, said: “At Amazon, we’re always innovating for our employees and our customers. I’m delighted to announce these new flexible working initiatives that provide even more choice for current and future employees, enabling them to better manage their home and work commitments.
“Amazon already provides a four-day working week for our fulfilment centre employees in the UK, and term-time contracts are another great example of how we are using feedback from our people to support them with their childcare needs, giving families more time together.”
He added: “Providing a flexible part-time contract where people can pick the shifts that best suit their needs will support our employees’ partners and other job-seekers with family caring commitments a route back to the workplace, helping to boost household income.”
Amazon already offers multiple types of contract. A standard working week is 40 hours, with shift-swaps and part-time options.
Term-time contracts are now available to thousands of Amazon’s fulfilment centre employees. The part-time pick-your-shift option has been rolled out to seven fulfilment centres following a successful trial, with more sites soon to follow.
GRoW (Get Ready for Work) supports women back into the workplace. Director Liz Sewell is particularly interested in term-time contracts: “Term-time working has the potential to give a lot of people the support they need, so it’s an interesting and progressive change at Amazon.
“We know that many women want to work flexible hours and for those with younger children term-time working makes so much sense. We believe it’s a great way to support a widening of the workforce as well as providing valuable flexibility for parents.”
Amazon has launched its latest analysis of the company’s regional investment across the UK. The 2022 Amazon UK Economic Impact Hub shows that the company has invested more than £1.9 billion in Eastern Scotland since 2010.
The Amazon UK Economic Impact Hub provides regional data on jobs created by Amazon locally, the number of regional independent small businesses supported by the company, the level of economic activity driven by Amazon’s investments and the export sales recorded last year by small businesses in Eastern Scotland selling on Amazon.
If you click on the Eastern Scotland section of this interactive map, you will see a breakdown of Amazon’s investments and export sales figures for SMEs in Devon.
Below are the key stats covering your region and a quote from the general manager at the Amazon fulfilment centre in Dunfermline.
Since 2010, Amazon has invested over £1.9 billion in Eastern Scotland.
This investment led to the production of goods and services that contributed an estimated £2 billion to the region’s GDP since 2010.
To date, Amazon has created around 2,500 full and part-time jobs in Scotland.
More than 50 apprentices in Scotland have qualified from the Amazon Apprenticeship programme since 2010.
In Eastern Scotland, there are more than 1,000 small and medium-sized businesses selling on Amazon as independent selling partners.
Small businesses from the region selling on Amazon recorded over £30 million of export sales in 2021.
Jamie Strain, General Manager at the Amazon Fulfilment Centre in Dunfermline, said: “Amazon is a proud member of the community in Eastern Scotland, investing over £1.9 billion in the region since 2010 to support local businesses, create jobs and make a positive contribution to the regional economy,
“We help more than 1,000 small businesses across West Central Scotland sell on Amazon and reach customers around the world, and we also continue to support community organisations across the region through donations and volunteering. Recently, we have donated to a range of good causes including Children’s Hospice Across Scotland (CHAS).”
More details about Amazon’s economic impact in the UK can be found here:
