Learning at Work Week is an annual programme led by the charity Campaign for Learning, which partners with organisations across the UK to develop engaging activities and challenges that inspire employees to expand their knowledge and skills in the workplace.
This year’s theme, Many ways to learn, examines how embracing varied and continual learning can empower individuals, teams and organisations to grow, change and accomplish their goals.
Sunderland’s Lewis Robertson, based at the Amazon fulfilment centre in Gateshead, has made the most of the wide range of development and training initiatives available at Amazon to carve out a fulfilling professional path.
Among the opportunities Lewis has embraced is Amazon Career Choice – a flagship programme that has been supporting Amazon employees for over a decade. Career Choice is an education benefit that empowers eligible employees to learn new skills for career success at Amazon or elsewhere.
Career Choice prepays tuition up to 100% and reimburses eligible books and fees up to an annual maximum of £3,000, with no lifetime limit. Crucially, the funding is available regardless of whether the skills gained relate directly to a career at Amazon, giving employees the freedom to pursue their own ambitions.
With courses spanning areas such as technology, logistics, mechanical and industrial systems and more, the programme is designed to equip employees with the qualifications and expertise needed to thrive – whether that’s within Amazon or in an entirely new field.
Lewis, whose participation in Career Choice helped him secure his current role as a fulfilment centre lead, is sharing his experience to motivate fellow employees to take advantage of the opportunities available to them.
Lewis, who lives in Sunderland, spent years moving between jobs including care work, kitchens, delivery driving, and landscaping, without ever feeling like hard work would actually get him anywhere. Amazon changed that.
©UNP John Millard
“In all the other jobs I’ve had, I never felt like if I worked hard, I would get anywhere. Whereas here, it’s very much a case of everybody has an opportunity – you’ve just got to show yourself.”
Lewis joined the Amazon team in Durham during COVID. He quickly became one of the site’s top performers, and earned a recommendation for process guide training without even knowing it.
When Amazon opened the Gateshead fulfilment centre in 2021, he transferred to the new building and that’s where his career with the company really took off.
In this role, Lewis first learned about Career Choice. He initially brushed it off, thinking it seemed too good to be true, and the courses on offer at the time didn’t match what he was looking for. After three years working as a team lead, he changed his mind when a Leadership Training course, delivered through Correlation One, became available through the programme.
“The course is pretty much paid for, so I thought why not apply? It can only be beneficial.”
The 16-week programme helped him pass all three competency assessments and, crucially, prepared him for the interview process for the role he wanted.
As soon as he completed his final assessment, permanent team lead positions were advertised. He applied, passed, and hasn’t looked back since.
“I think it was just one of those things where it was meant to be.”
Having started on the warehouse floor, Lewis brings a perspective to leadership that he believes matters. His long-term goal is to become an area manager, then operations manager, but he is in no rush.
“Because I’ve experienced the ‘shop floor’ with Amazon, I think that gives me a unique understanding of how the business works. I want to keep developing that understanding, but I want to build it up slowly. I want to learn everything while staying connected to the people here.”
For anyone considering Career Choice or any other professional development programmes, Lewis’s advice is simple: pick something that interests you, but do not let uncertainty hold you back.
“If there isn’t something that fully interests you, but it could still benefit you, give it a go. You don’t have anything to lose,” he said.
“My biggest advice is just go for it.”
Looking ahead, Lewis has a clear plan, and a deliberate pace. He wants to become an area manager within the next five years, with an operations manager role as his longer-term ambition. But he is determined to get there the right way.
“I want to do it the slow way – learn about everything, take it all in. I think that’s the best way to stay connected to everybody here while progressing myself.”
Beyond Career Choice, Amazon offers a wealth of additional routes for employees to develop their talents, including apprenticeships, departmental transfers and pathways into management roles.
Annual pay for Amazon Operations roles starts from £29,744 and in some locations, £31,824. Employees are offered a comprehensive benefits package, including private medical insurance, life assurance, income protection and an employee discount as well as a company pension plan.
Amazon has been named as a ‘Top Employer UK 2026’ by the Top Employer Institute, one of the world’s most prestigious certifications in the field of human resources management. This award recognises Amazon’s commitment to the development and well-being of its employees. In addition to the UK accolade, Amazon has also been certified as one of the Top Employers in Europe for a fourth consecutive year.
To find out more about a career with Amazon, visit Amazon Jobs.
