Amazon pledges to create 1,000 apprenticeships in the UK by 2021

Selected candidates will be paid a starting salary of between £9.50 and £10.50 per hour, and could earn up to £30,000 per year

Amazon has pledged to create about 1,000 apprenticeships in the UK by 2021.

The scheme will consist of nine programmes across software engineering, information technology, robotics, human resources, leadership and safety.

These programmes will last between 13 months and four years and will help fill various positions across Amazon's UK operations, ranging from warehouse workers at fulfilment centres to software developers for Prime Video and machine-learning technology.

Individuals selected for the apprenticeship programme will be offered an entry level starting salary between £9.50 and £10.50 per hour, up to £30,000 a year.

Amazon's apprenticeship programme will create new positions in addition to 1,000 highly-skilled jobs that the online retailer intends to create this year in Britain as it aims to expand its bases in Cambridge and Edinburgh. The firm is also building a new research centre in Manchester, which is expected to create 600 new jobs.

Amazon will start accepting applications for the UK apprenticeship programme from 4^th March.

Doug Gurr, Amazon's UK country manager, said the intention behind the UK apprenticeship programme is to create opportunities for people "to succeed in the digital age, regardless of their background."

He said that the programme will help produce future engineers, team leaders, and innovation drivers for the company.

Margot James, Minister of State for Digital and Culture, said: "It is great to see global tech giants, like Amazon, continue to invest in the UK and create high-skilled jobs for the next generation."

"Our booming digital sector is one of the fastest-growing industries in the country and this is a vote of confidence in our world-leading skills in tech innovation."

Amazon currently has a workforce of around 27,500 in the UK. Last year, the company added more than 2,500 permanent jobs in the country. Amazon has never spent as much money on acquisitions as it did in the last two years.

Last year, the company spent $1.65 billion on acquisitions. The bulk of this amount went on two start-ups - online pharmacy business PillPack (bought for $753 million) and smart doorbell maker Ring (bought for $839 million).