Apprenticeship programs are technical education opportunities that allow workers to gain valuable on-the-job experience with hands-on instruction. Apprenticeships are ideal for recent graduates applying for jobs that require a significant amount of experience. If you want to break into tech, getting an Amazon apprenticeship is a good place to start.
Apprenticeships at Amazon are a great career move if you are a recent graduate interested in a hands-on experience that will help you transition into a career in tech. Read below to learn more about Amazon apprenticeships, including current opportunities and the average Amazon apprenticeship salary.
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Does Amazon Do Apprenticeships?
Yes, Amazon offers apprenticeship programs that employ young workers in a wide range of roles, from entry-level to more advanced positions. An Amazon apprenticeship provides a path for future leaders, engineers, and senior managers to develop their skills as they learn Amazon’s unique culture and job requirements.
The best apprenticeship programs at Amazon are available in the United Kingdom, with a few offered in the United States. Apprentices gain experience in different areas of the company, including fulfillment centers, sortation centers, delivery stations, and Amazon’s UK head offices in Manchester and London.
How Long Do Amazon Apprenticeships Last?
Amazon’s apprenticeships have different lengths, with some lasting 14 months and others taking about four years to complete. Some Amazon apprenticeships start in the summer, while others are offered on a rolling basis.
Amazon Apprenticeship Salary
Amazon offers different apprenticeship programs and opportunities around the world, all of which come with different salaries. For instance, Amazon’s apprenticeship program in the United Kingdom starts at about £10.50 per hour. According to a rough estimate on Glassdoor, the average Amazon apprentice salary is between $55,000 and $89,000 in the US.
Amazon also offers employees comprehensive benefits packages, which include private medical insurance, life assurance, income protection, employee discounts on specific products, and subsidized meals. Fixed-term employees are even entitled to a company pension plan, and they have access to innovative education programs.
Does Amazon Do Internships?
Yes, Amazon has many internship opportunities, most of them designed for students completing their bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, or doctorate. These opportunities help interns accelerate their career growth. An Amazon internship can be in different fields, including business, research, technology, and engineering.
To become an Amazon intern, you should try to network online first. This is a good way to get your foot in the door, which is important because Amazon internships are in high demand. Try reaching out to people who have already completed the Amazon summer internship and ask them about their experiences.
How Long Do Amazon Internships Last?
Amazon’s internship programs typically last for about 12 to 16 weeks during the summer. Interns are usually tasked with specific projects, such as writing customer-facing content on Echo devices, creating real-time feedback systems, or building new features on the Amazon website.
Amazon Internship Salary
According to reports by former and current Amazon interns on Glassdoor, the average Amazon intern salary is $73,847. This figure also takes into account bonuses and other forms of compensation.
Amazon Apprenticeships vs Internships
Before you apply for your apprenticeship, you should decide whether an apprenticeship vs internship is better for you. The differences between an internship and apprenticeship include length, availability, and job opportunities.
- Length. Internships are shorter than apprenticeships. Apprenticeships can last up to four years, and they are a huge commitment. Internships sometimes only last a season or a few months, and some internships are part-time. If you’re looking for a shorter program, choose an internship.
- Availability. In general, there are more internships than apprenticeships out there, which means it can be hard to land an apprenticeship. An apprenticeship salary is usually higher, and this makes these programs in high demand. You might want to apply for both apprenticeships and internships just in case you don’t get accepted into the program you want.
- Job Opportunities. If you want to finish your program with a job, an apprenticeship is a better choice. Many apprenticeships offer a direct line to an entry-level position at the company. Internships can also offer this perk, but companies are less likely to guarantee a job.
Current Amazon Apprenticeship Opportunities
The best Amazon apprenticeship for you depends on your background, qualifications, and career aspirations. No matter which of the following programs you apply for, you can expect to learn while you work and deliver innovations to Amazon’s customers. Read below to learn more about Amazon apprenticeships and decide which one is right for you.
Robotics Management Apprenticeship
The Amazon mechatronics apprenticeship, known as the RME Mechatronics & Robotics Apprenticeship, includes 12 weeks of training and 2,000 of hands-on experience. Past apprentices have spoken highly about the career prep it provides. If you’re interested in a robotics career, the Amazon robotics apprenticeship is a good choice.
User Experience Design and Research Apprenticeship
The Amazon UX apprenticeship allows students to work with Amazon professionals on an array of products. This includes Alexa, Amazon Web Services, Prime Video, and Amazon Fashion. This is a full-time training program that runs for one year, after which students will be prepared for UX design and user research roles in the tech industry.
AWS Grow Our Talent Program
This AWS training program includes a few different apprenticeships and internships you can apply for. Open positions at the time of writing include Data Center Operations Intern, Work-Based Learning Program Logistics Specialist, and Data Center Engineering Operation Trainee. If you want to get AWS training and certification in a top-rated program, this is a good choice for you.
Amazon Military Apprenticeships
These Amazon apprenticeships for veterans cater to members of the military and their spouses. There are opportunities for aspiring data analysts, software engineers, and more. Most roles involve interfacing with customers to help them solve technical issues with Amazon’s products. If you’re a veteran and want to become an Amazon technical apprentice, check out the programs below.
Technical Account Manager Apprenticeship
Amazon’s technical account manager apprenticeship is ideal for those looking to advance their careers in cloud-based solutions. This apprenticeship will teach you how to diagnose cloud-based technical issues with Amazon’s products and help customers when such problems come up.
Solutions Architect Apprenticeship
During this Amazon apprenticeship for veterans, you will work under Amazon Web Services (AWS) solutions architects as you focus on delivering perfect cloud solutions for Amazon’s business clients. This experience will give you insight into the latest Amazon technologies and help you drive future innovations.
Software Development Engineer Apprenticeship
This is a fully paid apprenticeship program that runs for 18 weeks. During this time, you’ll study Amazon’s latest technology and software development principles in a virtual classroom. If you’re successful, you will put your learning into practice at an Amazon location in either Seattle or Arlington.
Technical Sales Apprenticeship
This is a 10-week training course that teaches candidates how to generate new leads, provide input on sales-related campaigns, and accurately profile customers. If you want to get a job in tech sales, this apprenticeship is a great choice. There are lots of transferable skills you can earn from this apprenticeship.
Support Engineer Apprenticeship
Amazon’s support engineer apprenticeship program runs for 12 weeks. You will learn how to find and fix technical problems with network configuration. Computer support is an in-demand field, so this Amazon apprenticeship is a good choice if you’re looking for job security.
Associate Cloud Consultant Apprenticeship
You should consider this opportunity if you are interested in helping customers implement innovative cloud solutions or solving technical problems. If accepted into the program, you will receive on-the-job training using the latest cloud computing technologies. The classroom portion of the program runs for 12 weeks, and successful apprentices will then proceed to in-person training.
How to Prepare for an Amazon Apprenticeship
Amazon apprenticeships are available to all regardless of their race, gender, sexual orientation, or ethnicity. However, landing an Amazon apprenticeship is a highly selective and competitive process. You have to be on top of your game to increase your chances of being accepted by a program.
Most apprenticeship opportunities have preferred qualifications. These may include experience with systems administration, experience working in software development, and knowledge of top programming languages like Java, Python, Ruby, C#, and PHP. Below are some ways to get the requisite skills and experience.
Coding Bootcamp
Tech bootcamps are fast-paced programs that equip students with programming skills. These programs have become popular in recent years because they only take a few weeks to complete. There are quite a few AWS bootcamps out there that can help you get ready for a real position at Amazon.
Enrolling in a bootcamp program will significantly increase your chances of landing an apprenticeship. The classic coding bootcamp program covers in-demand programming languages for use in software engineering and web development, but there are also bootcamps that offer programs in UX design, tech sales, AWS, and data science.
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Online Course
Most of Amazon’s apprenticeships and internships are in engineering, research, and other technical fields. For this reason, you should consider an AWS course online that covers technical subject matter to help you prepare. Consider free massive open online courses (MOOC) on Coursera or edX if you are on a budget.
Degree Program
A degree program is the most traditional way to get ready for an Amazon internship or apprenticeship. This is because most opportunities are geared toward college students. A degree program in a technical discipline like computer science will increase your chances of landing an Amazon apprenticeship that can advance your career.
Trade School
Most of the best trade school jobs are in industries other than tech. That being said, the right vocational or technical education at the postsecondary level can help you gain a working knowledge of AWS, including Elastic Block Storage (EBS), Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2), and Simple Storage Service (S3).
How to Apply to an Amazon Apprenticeship
Applying to an Amazon apprenticeship program is pretty straightforward. Start by looking for open apprenticeship jobs on Amazon’s official website. After selecting your desired job, Amazon will prompt you to create an account to start your online application. The prompts will guide you on how to apply for an Amazon apprenticeship.
Your Amazon Jobs account will store all your personal information, such as your name and email address, which will be crucial during the vetting process. You should hear from the admissions team a few weeks after submitting your application. If successful, you will be invited to participate in a series of exercises to determine whether you are a good fit.
How to Prepare for an Apprenticeship Interview
Some Amazon internships require an interview as part of your application. These can include technical and behavioral interview questions. Brush up on your technical skills before your Amazon apprenticeship interview to put your best foot forward. If you want to learn more about how to prepare for an apprenticeship interview, try asking past apprentices.
How to Apply to an Amazon Internship
Applying to Amazon’s internship programs is fairly similar to applying for its apprenticeship programs. You should start by looking for available internships on Amazon’s official website. Remember to filter out opportunities that aren’t available in your area. The Amazon internship acceptance rate is quite low, so cast a wide net.
After filling out your application on the Amazon Jobs website, you will have to wait to hear back. If successful, you’ll be invited for a round of interviews and assessments to determine your fit. Before you apply, do research on how to get an internship at Amazon to make sure you have the education and experience you need.
Is an Amazon Apprenticeship or Internship Worth It?
Yes, Amazon apprenticeship programs are worth it, especially for members of the US military, veterans, and their spouses. Amazon claims that its apprenticeship programs have a 90 percent completion rate. These programs have helped individuals advance their technical careers in the United States and around the globe.
In addition, Amazon is known to offer positions with competitive salaries and lucrative benefit packages. You should definitely consider Amazon’s apprenticeship programs in the United States, but opportunities may be limited unless you are affiliated with the military in some way.
Amazon Apprenticeship FAQ
Yes, there’s an Amazon software engineer apprenticeship for prospective software development engineers. The apprenticeship takes 18 weeks to complete. Keep in mind that it is only available to members of the military and their spouses.
How competitive is the Amazon technical apprentice program?
The Amazon technical apprentice program is very competitive, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible to pursue. Try to network in the field before you apply so you can get your foot in the door. You can also try taking some coding courses or other technical courses first so you can show your skills during the application process.
What does an Amazon technical apprentice do?
The duties of an Amazon technical apprentice vary depending on the position. For example, a software development engineer apprentice will work with Amazon software to troubleshoot and fix bugs.
Is Amazon a good company to work for?
Yes, Amazon is a good company to work for. Amazon also has lots of positive reviews on Glassdoor and Indeed. According to LinkedIn, Amazon is the best company to work for in the United States in 2022, higher than IBM, Wells Fargo, and Meta.
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