Amazon UK Chief Calls for Mandatory Work Experience for Over-16s

Amazon's UK country manager said the education system is not producing enough workers with the skills employers need and called for mandatory work experience for people over 16. John Boumphrey told the BBC that young people should not be blamed for high unemployment rates. He said the issue is a system problem rather than a motivation problem.

Boumphrey said Amazon has the opposite problem from many employers and struggles to fill roles such as mechatronics engineers and robot technicians. He noted that the company has 100 premises in the UK, including 30 warehouses, and employs 75,000 people.

Half of those employees come straight from education or unemployment, according to Boumphrey. He said Amazon introduced robots into warehouses and hired more people than before.

Boumphrey called for businesses to work with local governments and further education colleges on a regional basis to identify skills gaps. He said work experience is transformative because it teaches skills that are not covered in the standard curriculum.

The UK is experiencing a weak jobs market, with young people particularly affected by cuts in hospitality and graduate schemes. Amazon accounts for 30% of all online sales in the UK. 8 billion last year and creates 75,000 jobs.