The team at Amazon’s fulfilment centre in Dunfermline made a £3,000 donation to Children’s Hospices Across Scotland and a £1,000 donation to Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity as part of the company’s global Amazon Goes Gold for Kids with Cancer campaign during September’s Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.
Now in its sixth year, Amazon Goes Gold for Kids with Cancer raises funds and awareness for organisations working to increase survival rates for those with childhood cancer through life-saving treatments and research.
A gold ribbon is the universal symbol for childhood cancer, so this year, Amazon employees from Dunfermline held a month-long series of gold-themed events in recognition of the international emblem.
The team also showed solidarity to children with cancer by donating £3,000 to Kinross-based charity Children’s Hospices Across Scotland and £1,000 to Edinburgh-based charity Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity.
One of the events this year at Amazon in Dunfermline was a Pyjama Day, which saw the fulfilment centre team join with colleagues across the UK to wear pyjamas to work in honour of children who spend every day in their pyjamas during treatment.
Amazon Dunfermline General Manager, Jamie Strain, said: “We are proud to support CHAS and Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity in honour of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and this year’s Amazon Goes Gold for Kids with Cancer campaign.
“We look forward to doing our bit for children with cancer every year, and hope that this donation offers encouragement to the charity’s brilliant team and the families it supports.”
One of the Amazon employees who took part in Amazon Goes Gold for Kids with Cancer is Aoife Considine. She added: “It was great to take part in Amazon in Dunfermline’s Pyjama Day and help spread awareness of the realities of childhood cancer. I’m so pleased that we could offer support to such an excellent charity.”
This year, Amazon employees in the UK also had the opportunity to support children and families affected by childhood cancer by volunteering with childhood cancer charities and organisations, or by putting together activity packs for children facing cancer, which were distributed to nearby hospitals and hospices.
Amazon Goes Gold for Kids with Cancer takes place annually as part of Amazon’s programme to support the communities in and around its operating locations across the UK.
A group of employees from the Dunfermline Amazon fulfilment centre and the Bathgate Amazon delivery station and sortation centre recently set out to walk from Bathgate to Dunfermline to raise money for Edinburgh Women’s Aid.
The employees set off on their 22-mile excursion from the Amazon delivery station in Bathgate and finished the walk at the Amazon fulfilment centre in Dunfermline. The colleagues joined forces with the team from Amazon’s delivery station and sortation centre in Bathgate with the aim of raising £1,000 for Edinburgh Women’s Aid.
Edinburgh Women’s Aid is a non-profit organisation that offers practical and emotional support to women and young people. Its aim is to provide a safe environment for those in need of protection from abuse.
The team completed the walk in 8 hours and donated a total of £1,740 to Edinburgh Women’s Aid.
The donation from Amazon will be used to purchase safety devices, food vouchers, clothes and other necessities for those using the charity’s services.
Jamie Strain, General Manager at Amazon in Dunfermline, said: “We are proud of the men and women from Amazon in Dunfermline and Bathgate who took part in the fundraising walk for Edinburgh Women’s Aid.
“It was great to see their enthusiasm for a good cause and we are grateful to have them on our team.”
Clare Cornbleet, Senior Delivery Station Manager at Amazon in Bathgate, added: “The sponsored walk for Edinburgh Women’s Aid was a fantastic achievement.
“We want to thank everyone who took part in raising money for the charity at both the Amazon delivery station in Bathgate and at the fulfilment centre in Dunfermline – they’ve helped raise money for a great organisation.”
Olivia Angus, an employee at Amazon in Dunfermline who took part in the charity walk, said: “From everyone who took part in the walk, we want to say thank you for the support from our team at Amazon in Dunfermline and our colleagues in Bathgate.
“It was great to see the team cheering us on at the finish line. Although the weather was not on our side throughout the walk, we had a great time, and it was worth it to be able to provide a donation for such a worthy cause.”
Linda Rodgers, Edinburgh Women’s Aid’s CEO, said: “The team at Edinburgh Women’s Aid would like to say a big thank you to the teams at Amazon in Dunfermline and Bathgate for taking the time to raise money for our charity.
“Well done to everyone involved; your colleagues should be so proud of your achievements.”
The donation to Edinburgh Women’s Aid was made as part of Amazon’s programme to support the communities around its operating locations across the UK.
Livestream discussion will take place on Thursday 30th June 2022 on Amazon UK’s Instagram channel, featuring founder of The Break, Patricia Bright; Foolish founder Olivia Attwood; and Montana Brown, founder of Swim Society – all spilling their secrets on what it takes to grow a business today.
These well-known faces will be joined by entrepreneurs from some of Amazon’s successful small business selling partners, including Human Food and Absolute Collagen.
The livestream panel discussion is all part of Amazon’s support of small businesses ahead of its upcoming Prime Day celebrations, with shoppers also in with a chance to Win Big by Supporting Small.
Amazon announces the launch of Small Business, Big Dreams: an interactive, virtual livestream aimed at helping up-and-coming entrepreneurs to grow their businesses.
The livestreamed discussion will explore the future of young entrepreneurship and how to successfully market a business in the ever-changing social media age of 2022.
To tune in for free, head to Amazon UK’s Instagram channel, at 7pm on Thursday 30th June 2022 to take part and submit questions for the panel.
Last year, Prime Day saw customers spend over $1.9bn globally on more than 70 million small business products during the promotional period, but with a constantly evolving economy, the next generation of entrepreneurs and business owners require the right tools and guidance to help them adapt and succeed online.
Amazon’s Small Business, Big Dreams livestream will give future entrepreneurs inspiration and advice on turning a brilliant start-up idea into a successful business, as well as exploring the impact an engaged online following can have on a brand.
Celebrity business owners, including Patricia Bright, Olivia Attwood, and Montana Brown, will offer their expertise on a range of useful topics for budding business owners, including the power of influence and the impact it can have on start-ups; going viral and its potential effect upon a business; and how to take a business to the next level once the sales start to come in.
Those who tune in will be able to send through questions in advance for the panel which will be moderated by host, Patricia Bright, to discuss and answer.
Alongside the celebrities, small business owners Ky Wright of Human Food, Class of 2022 Forbes 30 under 30’s Darcy Laceby of Absolute Collagen, and Olivia Ferdi of TRIP Drinks will join the livestream panel.
As experienced Amazon small business selling partners, they will share their personal advice on why combining social media with selling on a store like Amazon can be a great way to take a business to the next level, and how events such as Prime Day offer huge opportunities to their respective brands.
The full line-up is:
Patricia Bright, founder of The Break, as panel host
Olivia Attwood, founder of Foolish
Montana Brown, founder of Swim Society
Darcy Laceby, co-founder of Absolute Collagen
Ky Wright, founder of Human Food
Olivia Ferdi, co-founder director of TRIP Drinks
Emma Jones, founder of Enterprise Nation
John Boumphrey, Country Manager, Amazon UK said:“We’re so lucky to have such a talented pool of next generation UK entrepreneurs. We know it can sometimes be tricky to navigate the complexities of launching a business in this digital age, so it’s brilliant to see such a great line-up of innovators and experts coming together to give their insights.
“Over 50% of products sold on Amazon in the UK are from small and medium sized businesses, and key events such as our upcoming Prime Day can have a huge impact on start-ups. Our small business selling partners included in the line-up will be sure to impart their expert advice for those who have a dream of setting up their own successful business.”
Patricia Bright, founder of The Break, an empowering online platform for women, said: “I know from experience that starting your own business is never easy, but I’ve been lucky to grow my brand largely in part to social media and I owe everything to my loyal supporters – many who have been with me since day one.
“I’m excited to lead the panel on behalf of Amazon and to join an important conversation around supporting the future of young entrepreneurs in whatever way I can.”
Olivia Attwood, founder of contemporary luxury brand, Foolish, said: “I’ve put my heart and soul into growing the brand identity of Foolish on social media, as that’s where my audience lives.
“I can’t wait to join the panel to discuss how to navigate social media as a brand and hopefully help others thrive as a result!”
Montana Brown, founder of swimwear brand, Swim Society, said: “It’s really important that we support small businesses as much as possible, especially in today’s climate.
“I hope that people send in as many questions as they can during the livestream so we can help them on their business journey.”
This year Amazon has made it easier than ever to support small businesses on Prime Day:
Win Big by Supporting Small: From Tuesday 21st June until Monday 11th July, for every £1 spent on eligible small business products, customers will receive a chance to win great prizes. Hundreds of thousands of customers globally will have a chance to win Amazon gift cards. To learn more, visit amazon.co.uk/primedaysweepstakes.
Look for the Small Business Badge: Prime members can discover and shop products from small business brands in Amazon’s store with the new Small Business Badge. This new badge makes it easier for members to identify products from small business brands and artisans. To learn more and shop curated collections, visit amazon.co.uk/supportsmall.
The team at the Amazon delivery station in Bathgate is celebrating Armed Forces Day (25th June) by shining a light on some of the veterans and reservists working across Amazon’s UK operations network.
One of the veterans currently working at Amazon in Bathgate is Daniel Da Silva, who joined the company in 2020.
The Amazon Military Programme offers members of the military community the opportunity to pursue a wide range of exciting new career paths at Amazon.
This year Amazon will recruit (or has recruited) over 300 veterans, reservists and military spouses across the business in over 35 different jobs ranging from health & safety specialists, engineers, sales managers and team leaders to senior managers. These new employees join over 2,500 already employed at Amazon since it commenced its military programme in 2011.
Amazon has been awarded the Employer of the Year Award at the Ex-Forces in Business Awards for two years in succession for its outstanding efforts in supporting ex-services personnel and military spouses. The Ex-Forces in Business Awards is the world’s largest celebration of military veterans in second careers.
The awards are dedicated to providing a much-needed platform for uncovering and showcasing the business achievements of ex-military, recognising the value veterans add to businesses as well as the employers that support the transition of servicemen and women.
Amazon’s military onboarding plan dedicated mentoring platform and thriving employee resource group ‘Warriors at Amazon’ continue to ensure our ex-forces have the best possible start to their second careers in Industry.
Amazon is also a proud signatory of the Armed Forces Covenant. The Covenant, originally introduced in 2011, has a focus on helping the Armed Forces community to access the same support from government and commercial services as the public.
Amazon first signed the Armed Forces Covenant in 2013 and renewed its commitment in 2021, vowing to uphold its key principles and to demonstrate its commitment to serving personnel, reservists, veterans and families.
Daniel Da Silva joined Amazon two years ago and is currently working as a Health and Safety Coordinator based at the Bathgate delivery station.
Before joining Amazon, Daniel decided at age 17 to join the marines in Portugal. Due to an injury after 12 months of training, Daniel was told he couldn’t finish the last three weeks of his course. After recovering from his injury, Daniel started the same training once again and after 12 months, he received his well-deserved blue beret.
“At some point in life we all fall, but it is down to us to stand up and use that bad moment as a fuel for something greater,” he said.
As lockdown struck, Daniel found it very hard to stay at home. His brother was working at Amazon, so he decided to apply for a temporary part-time job but decided to stay on with Amazon after lockdown restrictions lifted.
“I started to enjoy the diversity of roles here and opportunities and when it came to the time to go back to my previous job, I decided to stay at Amazon,” Daniel said.
“For six years of my life, I had done a lot of leadership training and learned a lot during that period. I can now use those experiences to put what I learned into practice at Amazon. It’s something that comes naturally to me now.
“Amazon is a great company to work for and a brilliant place to develop skills. You can go up the levels if you have the passion and commitment to do so.” Daniel added. “Comparing the opportunities that we have at Amazon to the military, it’s a much safer environment and you can spend more time with family, which are two big bonuses for me.”
Clare Cornbleet, Senior Delivery Station Manager at Amazon in Bathgate said: “The Amazon Military Programme has been a fantastic success and Daniel is one of the many brilliant veterans and reservists working in Amazon buildings here in Bathgate and around the UK.
“The skills learned in the military are highly transferable to a role at Amazon and we’re pleased to continue offering employment, training and development opportunities to former servicemen and women through our programme.”
Gillian Russell, Principle Programme Manager, Global Military Affairs and retired Royal Navy Officer at Amazon, added: “The military community brings huge value to the workforce and we have a dedicated team focused on bringing that talent into Amazon.
“We offer opportunities across the whole business and we train, develop and support veterans, military spouses and Reserves to flourish and thrive here. We believe everyone should have the opportunity to lean new skills and build their career at Amazon.”
Launched in 2021 the Amazon Corporate Military Internship Program is one such opportunity. It offers a direct path into corporate roles in e-commerce for those transitioning from the Armed Forces.
Those on the programme are supported throughout their transition to the corporate world, including a military mentor who already works at Amazon, tailored support from line management and an on boarding buddy.
To find out more about beginning a career with Amazon, visit Amazon Jobs
Amazon provides competitive pay, comprehensive benefits and a modern, safe and engaging work environment for its employees. The roles pay a minimum of £10.00 or £11.10 per hour depending on location, and Amazon employees can also take advantage of Amazon’s pioneering Career Choice programme, which pre-pays 95% of tuition 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.
Amazon also provides opportunities to improve existing skills or learn new ones through internal career progression opportunities such as cross-training, transferring to a different department and promotion into a managerial role.
Amazon has invested over £32 billion in the UK since 2010 to provide convenience, selection and value to UK consumers, while supporting tens of thousands of businesses and creative professionals including small businesses selling on Amazon’s online stores, Amazon Web Services developers and Kindle Direct Publishing authors.
Every minute 167 million videos are watched by TikTok users
On YouTube 694,000 hours are streamed each minute, which equates to roughly a month in real-time
On Amazon $283,000 are spent by customers every minute
What can happen in an internet minute? Millions of videos, messages, emails, and texts are uploaded and viewed, and the content consumed adds up to hundreds of thousands of hours in real-time.
Every minute 167 million videos are watched by TikTok users, recent research by advertising specialists N.Rich reveals.
In the study, Statista data was analysed to calculate the public’s engagement with the most popular corners of the internet.
Facebook receives 44 million views each minute via Facebook Live. While on iMessage 12 million messages are sent on the Apple service in the same timeframe.
Each internet minute, 5.7 million searches take place on Google. While on Snapchat 2 million messages are sent via the app in that period of time.
Each minute, 694,000 hours are streamed on YouTube, which equates to roughly a month in real-time.
Newbie app Discord is responsible for 668,000 messages being sent every minute.
On Twitter, 575,000 tweets are posted during the same timeframe.
Video streaming site Netflix is also popular, with 452,000 hours watched each minute on the website.
Amazon lives up to its powerhouse reputation, with $283,000 spent on the e-commerce site each minute. That’s almost $7 million spent within 24 hours.
Commenting on the study, a spokesperson for N.Rich said, “With a vast number of people online and advertisers vying for the attention of potential customers, it’s vital that you speak to customers in a way that they hear you and feel heard too.
“You wouldn’t speak to your best friend the same way as your grandmother. That’s why you need to adjust your message for each platform and find the right customers where they are – be it on TikTok, Facebook, or elsewhere. ”
One internet minute
Platform
Amount per minute
TikTok
167 million videos watched by users
Facebook Live
44 million views received
iMessage (via Apple)
12 million messages sent
Google
5.7 million searches
Snapchat
2 million messages sent
YouTube
694,000 hours streamed
Discord
668, 000 messages sent
Twitter
575, 000 tweets posted
Netflix
452, 000 hours watched
Amazon
$283,000 spent
The study was conducted by N.Rich, which offers a rich array of intent data and ad inventory that enable marketers to drive awareness and lead generation effectively.
Amazon creates highly skilled jobs for Scotland across a wide range of professions, from software developers and product managers, to machine learning specialists
Job-seekers encouraged to take advantage of Amazon Career Day, one of the biggest free virtual training and recruiting events in the UK
Amazon, which has a development centre in Edinburgh and currently employs over 2,500 people in Scotland, is hiring for 100 tech and corporate jobs locally.
The majority of roles are for highly skilled jobs across a wide range of professions, from software developers and machine learning specialists, to applied sciences and product managers. Edinburgh was Amazon’s first research and development centre outside of North America and it has a well-earned reputation as a global centre for innovation, software engineering and machine learning.
Graeme Smith, Managing Director, Amazon Development Centre Scotland (ACDS), (above) said: “These highly skilled jobs join our incredibly talented teams in Scotland and provide exciting opportunities for those who want to be at the cutting edge of global technology.
“Our employees benefit hundreds of millions of customers around the world by focusing on personalised shopping recommendations, digital advertising and research and development.”
Amazon has more than 2,500 employees in Scotland – across the Amazon Development Centre in Edinburgh, fulfilment centres in Dunfermline and Gourock, as well as the Prime Now site in Glasgow, Customer Service Centre in Edinburgh and delivery stations in Edinburgh, Dundee, Bathgate, Aberdeen, Baillieston and Motherwell.
Job-seekers who are looking for a new role or to transition to a different career – at Amazon or at another company – are also being encouraged to participate in Amazon Career Day on Thursday 16 September, a free virtual training and recruiting event.
The day will give attendees the opportunity to participate in one of the 3,000 one-to-one career coaching sessions with Amazon recruiters to help participants land their next job and view livestreamed sessions with Amazon employees and industry experts.
People can register at amazoncareerday.com, where Amazon Career Day content will be available to view on demand for one month after the event.
The initiative takes place in the context of new research from Amazon, surveying 1,000 professional (employed and unemployed) adults in the UK in August 2021, highlighting:
· 21% of UK professionals are actively searching for a new job
· A further 38% of UK professionals are interested in finding a new job, but not actively looking
· Among employed adults in the UK, 29% say the COVID-19 pandemic has caused them to reconsider their career paths
· 42% of active UK job-seeking adults are interested in pursuing opportunities in industries they do not currently have experience in
· 78% of professionals in the UK say they want more job training/resources
“We are working hard every day to be the best place for people to have satisfying and fulfilling long-term careers,” said Amazon CEO Andy Jassy.
“Amazon continues to grow quickly and relentlessly invent across many areas, and we’re hoping that Career Day gives job seekers the support they need to learn new skills or reimagine their careers at Amazon or elsewhere.
“Whether you’re looking to start your first job, to gain new skills, or thinking of a completely fresh start in a new field, we have thousands of exciting opportunities available right across the UK,”said John Boumphrey, Amazon UK Country Manager.
“We created Career Day to provide free guidance, coaching and inspiration to anyone who wants to develop their career, whether that’s with Amazon or somewhere else.
“Whether you see your long term future at Amazon or elsewhere, we provide a wide range of training and development opportunities to take your career to the next level.”
Career Day attendees will have the opportunity to hear from Amazon employees including gaming, robotics, AI and sustainability experts, as well as colleagues who have joined Amazon on fully-funded apprenticeships. Each will reveal what they do, what their career path was, and what it’s like working at Amazon.
Shevaun Haviland, Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce will also be hosting a panel about apprenticeships at Amazon and opportunities for people of all ages and skill levels to diversify and progress their careers.
Amazon now employs over 55,000 employees across the UK. All Amazon jobs come with competitive pay and benefits, whether they are based in a fulfilment centre or in a corporate office.
For hourly workers, pay starts at a minimum of £10.00 p/h. Amazon employees work in some of the most advanced workplaces of their kind in the world, with a comprehensive benefits package including private medical insurance, life assurance, income protection and an employee discount, which combined are worth more than £700 annually, as well as a company pension plan.
This year, Amazon has created 10,000 new permanent jobs and 1,000 new fully-funded apprenticeship roles.
For employees who see Amazon as a stepping stone to a future career outside of Amazon, it has also created a pioneering Career Choice programme, through which Amazon pre-pays up to 95% of tuition fees for nationally recognised courses, ranging from accountancy to HGV driving and software development.
Up to £8,000 of tuition fees over four years is available through the programme. Amazon is partnering with the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) and local businesses on the programme to identify regional skills shortages and focus training on local demand – this will help meet the UK’s future employment needs outside of Amazon.
Following a holiday to Turkey late last summer, the lives of Malcolm and his wife Janis from Edinburgh were turned upside down.
Hit by food poisoning on the trip, Malcolm spent a week ill in bed. His symptoms only worsened when he returned home to the point where he could no longer feed or clothe himself. Malcolm was soon after diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disease called Guillain-Barre syndrome and became paralysed from the neck down.
Over Christmas, due to COVID-19 lockdown restrictions and as Malcolm remained in the hospital, he unable to see any family.
“On Christmas Day I was allowed into the hospital for an hour,” said Janis, Malcolm’s wife. “But no other family members, including his daughters and grandchildren, were able to see him for the ten months he was in hospital.”
Searching for a way to speak with her husband, and a way for him to contact her independently, Janis contacted Gain, the Guillain-Barre syndrome charity. They recommended Amazon Echo as an ideal device for the couple to call each other hands-free.
Malcolm says that Echo and Alexa have made his life easier, reducing the sense of isolation from friends and family during lockdown and hospitalisation, and most importantly bringing him closer to Janis and family members while the pandemic kept them apart.
“The hospital team who looked after me were wonderful, but I missed Janis and the rest of the family,” said Malcolm. “Alexa connected me to a friendly face and a familiar voice and that contact really helped me on tough days.”
Janis is now raising money for the Gain charity by running the equivalent distance between Land’s End and John O’Groats—874 miles in total!
Through his determination and positive attitude, Malcolm can now stand and sit in his wheelchair, and has continued to use Alexa since returning home. Malcolm uses the device for watching his favourite TV programmes and films, listening to audio books, and completing day to day tasks – all using his voice.
“I might never be able to be as active as I was, but technology like Alexa has helped my road to recovery so far. I will never stop attempting to improve and I’m not going to give up,” he said.
Dennis Stansbury, Alexa UK Country Manager, added: “It’s so inspirational to hear Malcolm’s story and we’re proud that Alexa was able to lend a helping hand during what must have been a difficult situation for him and his wife Janis. Alexa is always getting smarter and evolving to meet the ever-changing needs of our customers.”
Over time, Alexa’s skillset has evolved to include features and functionality that can improve the freedom and independence of everyone, including older adults and people with disabilities.
If you have a story of your own about how you use Alexa, Amazon would love to hear it – email AlexaStories@amazon.com or tag Amazon on Twitter and Instagram using #AlexaStories.
The CMA has opened a formal probe into Amazon and Google over concerns that they have not been doing enough to combat fake reviews on their sites.
In this next phase of the work, the Competititon and Markets Authority (CMA) will gather further information to determine whether these two firms may have broken consumer law by taking insufficient action to protect shoppers from fake reviews.
The move comes after an initial CMA investigation, which opened in May 2020, and assessed several platforms’ internal systems and processes for identifying and dealing with fake reviews.
This work has raised specific concerns such as whether Amazon and Google have been doing enough to:
Detect fake and misleading reviews or suspicious patterns of behaviour. For example, where the same users have reviewed the same range of products or businesses at similar times to each other and there is no connection between those products or businesses – or where the review suggests that the reviewer has received a payment or other incentive to write a positive review.
Investigate and, where necessary, remove promptly fake and misleading reviews from their platforms.
Impose adequate sanctions on reviewers or businesses to deter them and others from posting fake or misleading reviews on their platforms – including those who have published these types of reviews many times.
The CMA is also concerned that Amazon’s systems have been failing adequately to prevent and deter some sellers from manipulating product listings – for example, by co-opting positive reviews from other products.
Fake and misleading reviews have the potential to impact on businesses’ star ratings and how prominently companies and products are displayed to consumers, changing their whole shopping experience.
Andrea Coscelli, the CMA’s Chief Executive, said: “Our worry is that millions of online shoppers could be misled by reading fake reviews and then spending their money based on those recommendations. Equally, it’s simply not fair if some businesses can fake 5-star reviews to give their products or services the most prominence, while law-abiding businesses lose out.
“We are investigating concerns that Amazon and Google have not been doing enough to prevent or remove fake reviews to protect customers and honest businesses. It’s important that these tech platforms take responsibility and we stand ready to take action if we find that they are not doing enough.”
If, after investigating, the CMA considers the firms have broken consumer protection law, it can take enforcement action. This could include securing formal commitments from the firms to change the way they deal with fake reviews or escalating to court action if needed. However, the CMA has not reached a view on whether Amazon and Google have broken the law at this stage.
This latest work builds on action taken by the CMA last year over the trading of fake reviews, which resulted in Facebook, Instagram and eBay removing groups and banning individuals for buying and selling fake reviews on their sites.
The CMA’s investigation into fake reviews is part of a broader programme of CMA work, which includes establishing a new pro-competition regulatory regime for digital markets, to curb the power of big tech. This will be achieved through the Digital Markets Unit. As the CMA works with the Government on proposals, it will continue to use its existing powers to their fullest extent in order to examine and protect competition in these areas.
Rocio Concha, Which? Director of Policy and Advocacy, said: “We have repeatedly exposed fake reviews on websites including Amazon and Google, so this investigation is a positive step. The CMA must now move swiftly towards establishing whether these companies have broken the law.
“This should prompt Amazon and Google to finally take the necessary steps to protect users from the growing tide of fake reviews on their platforms and, if they fail to do so, the regulator must be prepared to take strong enforcement action.
“The government must also give online platforms greater legal responsibility for tackling fake and fraudulent content on their sites – including fake and misleading review activity.”
More information about the CMA’s probe into Amazon and Google can be found on the Online Reviews case page.
The eyes of the trade union world are focused on Alabama as an Amazon workers’ campaign to unionise reaches a ‘crucial moment’, with the close of their recognition ballot later today (Monday 29 March).
In what’s been marked as a turning point for labour relations in the United States, workers are organising under the banner of the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU) to demand better working conditions and an end to worker surveillance at the Amazon Fulfilment Centre in Bessemer, a south western suburb of the city of Birmingham.
RWDSU representatives will join GMB Scotland union organisers on Wednesday evening at for a special online event, ‘Demands for a Post-COVID World of Work’, to inform and discuss the Bessemer unionisation campaign and its impact on the fight for recognition in Amazon across the world.
GMB Scotland Secretary Gary Smith said:“This is a crucial moment for workers’ rights but whatever the outcome in Bessemer this unionisation drive is a point of no return for Amazon, not just in the United States but across the world and including Scotland.
“It is a basic human need to want proper value for our work and for that work to be underpinned by basic rights and protections, and it’s why there is a reawakening of the need for unionisation to achieve it.
“The clock is ticking on the unfettered greed of billionaire disrupters and practitioners of precarious work because the COVID-19 pandemic has surfaced all the underlying exploitations that have been left unchallenged over the last decade.
“We are delighted that representatives from Alabama will be joining on us on Wednesday because the challenges facing Amazon workers in Bessemer are the same as those in Bathgate, and we need to learn from each other to make work better post-COVID.”
Recruitment has started for 25 different apprenticeship schemes ranging from engineering to broadcast production, creative digital design to health, safety and environment technician
Roles include 100 degree-level apprenticeships and more than 500 apprenticeships for Amazon employees, providing an opportunity to retrain and gain new skills
Pay starts at a minimum of £10.80 p/h in the London area and £9.70 p/h in other parts of the UK up to £30,000 a year for degree-level apprenticeships
Amazon created 10,000 new permanent UK jobs in 2020, and now employs more than 40,000 people across the country
Amazon has announced it has started recruiting for over 1,000 full-time apprenticeships in the UK in 2021, covering 25 different programmes ranging from IT, safety technician and HR through to software engineering and creative digital design.
The roles which pay minimum of £10.80 p/h in the London area and £9.70 p/h in other parts of the UK up to £30,000 a year for degree-level apprenticeships include 100 degree-level apprenticeships in automation engineering, project management, software development and chartered management.
Over 500 new apprenticeships will be offered to Amazon’s existing workforce, providing opportunities to retrain and gain new skills leading to an exciting new career path. Apprenticeships exclusively for Amazon employees range from a team leader through to a coaching practitioner.
In addition to being fully-funded, apprentices also receive a comprehensive benefits package, including private medical insurance, life assurance, income protection, subsidised meals and an employee discount – which combined are worth more than £700 annually – as well as a company pension plan.
Apprentice programmes last between 14 months and four years and a typical apprenticeship combines theoretical learning with hands-on training, enabling participants to obtain qualifications and degrees and earn money in the process.
Once qualified, apprentices will have the potential to work across Amazon’s UK sites including fulfilment centres, delivery stations, sortation centres and the company’s UK head offices in London and Manchester and the three development centres in Edinburgh, Cambridge and London.
The 1,000 apprenticeships add to Amazon’s continued commitment to creating jobs and opportunities to learn new skills across the UK. Amazon created 10,000 new permanent jobs in the UK in 2020 alone, and employs more than 40,000 people in some of the most advanced workplaces of their kind in the world with competitive pay, processes and systems to ensure the wellbeing and safety of all employees.
Minister for Apprenticeships and Skills Gillian Keegan, said:“It’s fantastic to see Amazon continuing to invest in apprentices. These apprenticeships cover a range of exciting roles from broadcast production to engineering, showcasing the huge variety of opportunities available to young people looking to build a great career.
“I know first-hand the life changing opportunities an apprenticeship can bring. I wish all those who apply the best of luck and thank Amazon for their ongoing commitment to building skills and talent both for today and in the future.”
“We are proud to be creating new opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds across the UK to gain skills through our apprenticeship programmes in 25 different fields, from logistics to robotics,” said, John Boumphrey, UK Country Manager, Amazon.
“An Amazon apprenticeship offers an exciting career path, creating opportunities within our local communities across the UK and helping our own employees retrain and gain new skills at a time when investing in people and jobs has never been more important.”
Hal Stanfield (25), IT apprentice based in the Networking and Project Management team at the Amazon Development Centre in Edinburgh.
Born and raised in Edinburgh, Hal left school and joined Amazon’s customer service scheme. Through the Amazon Career Choice Programme, Hal was able to develop his burgeoning interest in IT and embarked on a part-time college course in computing with on-the-job training through the IT apprenticeship.
Hal said: “I wouldn’t have been able to do it otherwise, and Amazon made it really convenient to re-train myself. It’s been great for my confidence, I’m now so much more skilled and engaged in my role.
“This apprenticeship has been one of the best work decisions I’ve ever made. In my role I get to talk to people in all areas of the business, and that’s something I really enjoy. There’s also a strong community in the apprenticeship programme that has developed through group activities and chats, despite the pandemic.”
The 1,000 new apprentices will join current apprentices already working at Amazon. The current Amazon apprenticeship schemes have attracted recruits from a range of different backgrounds from a former barista, footballer and photographer, to former military veterans and nurses.
Throughout the last year, people have also joined Amazon from construction, customer services, health care, hospitality and sales industries.
Amazon also offers employees Career Choice, an innovative programme which pre-pays 95% of tuition 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.
Amazon provides opportunities to improve existing skills or learn new ones through internal career progression opportunities such as cross-training, transferring to a different department and promotion into a managerial role.
Amazon has invested over £23 billion in the UK since 2010 to provide convenience, selection and value to UK consumers, while supporting tens of thousands of businesses and creative professionals including small businesses selling on Amazon’s online stores, Amazon Web Services developers and Kindle Direct Publishing authors.
Applications are now open for Amazon’s apprenticeship programme. For more information, visit: www.amazonapprenticeships.co.uk
