The technology and retail giant has launched its Amazon Youth Promise, a new initiative designed to help more young people take their first steps into employment.
As well as the 30,000 jobs pledge, Amazon plans to provide 10,000 work experience opportunities, with a particular focus on areas where young people have fewer opportunities to get started in the workplace.
The announcement comes as concerns grow about the number of young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET). Almost one million people aged 16 to 24 are currently estimated to fall into this category in the UK.
Amazon says its new initiative will provide support at different stages of the employment journey, helping young people before, during and after applying for jobs.
The 30,000 entry level positions are intended to give young people more opportunities to enter the workforce, while the additional work experience places could help them develop skills and get a better understanding of different careers.
According to reports, starting salaries for the planned entry level roles will be around £31,000 a year.
Launching the initiative, Country manager for Amazon UK, John Boumphrey, said: “When I visit our sites, I meet young people who had no idea where to start six months ago. They didn’t have a CV. They didn’t have experience. What they had was a positive attitude and a willingness to learn. For many, Amazon was their first step into work.”
“The Youth Promise is about reaching and supporting more people like them, in the places where those first chances are hardest to find,” added Mr Boumphrey.
Pat McFadden, the Work and Pensions Secretary, welcomed the announcement from Amazon, saying: “This Government’s mission is to get Britain working, which is why we are backing employers who share our ambition to create opportunity in every part of the country. It’s great to see Amazon joining the growing number of major businesses backing our youth guarantee to give every young person the chance to earn or learn.
“Their youth promise will help thousands of young people take their first step into work, with good pay, real support and a clear route to progress.
Amazon's announcement comes alongside a Government-backed initiative to give more young people access to technology industry work placements.
The TechFirst programme is now available to all secondary schools, with an ambition to reach one million students by 2028.
Major technology employers including Arm, Cisco, IBM, Kainos and Microsoft are supporting the initiative, which aims to introduce students to opportunities in the technology sector.
For young people interested in careers in IT, engineering and digital technology, these types of placements could provide valuable early experience and help them explore possible career paths.
Commenting on these tech opportunities Prime Minister Andy Burnham said: “Thousands of young people will get the chance to get their foot in the door in one of the UK’s biggest growth sectors, build their confidence and skills and get something meaningful on their CV.”
“Our job is to back this generation, open those doors and give every young person a fair chance to build a good future for themselves, wherever they come from,” added the PM.
Sainsbury’s is creating around 10,000 work experience opportunities for young people across the UK as it launches a major new programme designed to help more people gain practical experience.
