Supported Internships at Amazon: Empowering Young People with Special Education Needs and Disabilities

Strategic Insights -

Amazon's supported internships, in partnership with the national charity DFN Project Search, provide young people with Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND) the opportunity to gain hands-on work experience and develop the skills and confidence needed to secure paid, meaningful employment. Since the launch of the programme in 2021, over 160 young people have started a supported internship with Amazon, making the company one of the UK's largest providers of supported internships.

Both Daven Bayley and Ricky-John Lawson-Harrison, who completed their supported internships at Amazon's Doncaster fulfilment centre, shared their experiences and highlighted the importance of guidance from their peers and the supportive atmosphere in the workplace. They noted that the team were "all helpful, good listeners and very positive" and that they were able to overcome their initial nervousness and develop their skills through the internship.

Amazon's commitment to hiring and supporting employees with SEND is evident in the company's statistics. The minimum starting pay for frontline operations employees is between £13.50 and £14.50 p/h, with those with 36 months service receiving £13.75 and £14.75 p/h, depending on location. This equates to an annual starting salary of between £28,080 and £30,160, depending on location. Additionally, employees receive a comprehensive benefits package including private medical insurance, life assurance, income protection, subsidized meals and an employee discount, worth more than £700 annually.

Key Takeaways:

  • Supported internships at Amazon combine classroom education and practical work experience in a number of roles, providing young people with SEND with the skills, experience and confidence needed to secure employment.
  • Since the launch of the programme in 2021, over 160 young people have started a supported internship with Amazon, making the company one of the UK's largest providers of supported internships.
  • Both Daven Bayley and Ricky-John Lawson-Harrison, who completed their supported internships at Amazon's Doncaster fulfilment centre, credited their peers and the supportive atmosphere in the workplace with helping them develop their skills and confidence.
  • Amazon offers competitive pay, with minimum starting pay for frontline operations employees ranging from £13.50 to £14.50 p/h, depending on location.
  • Employees also receive a comprehensive benefits package, including private medical insurance, life assurance, income protection and a company pension plan.
  • Amazon's programme has been certified as one of the Top Employers in Europe for a third consecutive year, and has been named as a 'Top Employer UK 2025' by the Top Employer Institute.

Statistics:

  • Over 160 young people have started a supported internship with Amazon since the programme's launch in 2021.
  • The minimum starting pay for frontline operations employees is between £13.50 and £14.50 p/h, depending on location.
  • Employees with 36 months service receive £13.75 and £14.75 p/h, depending on location.
  • The annual starting salary for frontline operations employees is between £28,080 and £30,160, depending on location.
  • Amazon has invested £550m in increased pay for operations employees across the UK since 2022.
  • Employees receive a comprehensive benefits package, worth more than £700 annually.

Sources:

  • 1. DFN Project Search.
  • 2. Amazon.
  • 3. Top Employer Institute.
  • 4. LinkedIn.