Amazon’s major investment in Midlands region

Amazon fulfilment centre

Birmingham Press Club supporter Amazon UK is well on its way to employing a total workforce of over 55,000 by the end of the year after announcing plans to create 10,000 new permanent jobs during 2021.

As the UK’s biggest online marketplace, it has invested £23 billion in its operations since 2010, pumping £660 million into the West Midlands region, over £300 million into Herefordshire, Warwickshire and Worcestershire and £1.3 billion into Shropshire and Staffordshire.

In addition to its job creation, Amazon UK is also investing £10 million over three years to train up to 5,000 employees in new skills and support the Government’s investment programme. And it is also partnering with the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) and local businesses to identify regional skills shortages and focus training on local demand – something which will help meet the UK’s future employment needs outside of Amazon while strengthening the economy. 

For employees who see Amazon as a stepping stone to a future career outside of Amazon, it has created a pioneering Career Choice programme, through which Amazon pre-pays up to 95 per cent 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 UK, which has sponsored the Press Club-organised Midlands Media Student Awards, has regional operations at Hinckley, Coventry, Rugeley and Birmingham.

 It’s latest support for the Press Club is sponsorship of a Press Club lunch on 28 October, to be addressed by political journalist Nigel Morris, whose career working for national newspapers has spanned three decades.