Thomas - RME Tech
Please state your name, works site and the apprenticeship you first enrolled on.
My name is Thomas Griffiths, I am an RME Tech at CWL1 Swansea and I enrolled on the Amazon Engineering apprenticeship scheme back in January 2013.
What made you consider becoming an apprentice at Amazon initially?
I had always been interested in engineering after doing well in maths, physics and electronics in school. I was looking for an apprenticeship often but never got lucky, until I discovered and applied for the Amazon apprenticeship. At that time Amazon was not as big as it is today but it was growing rapidly, so it was very exciting to me to be a part of it.
What is your background prior to joining the apprenticeship programme?
I had never worked in an engineering background before joining Amazon but I had worked in a scrap yard and became a mystery shopper for a short period.
Was there anything unexpected you learned as part of your apprenticeship?
I’d say the only unexpected thing was how much Amazon would change from year to year. Because Amazon was growing at such a rate we constantly had to adapt and learn new things to keep up.
What qualifications did you obtain via your apprenticeship?
Completing this apprenticeship gave me a Level 3 Engineering Diploma. Since qualifying I have done a variety of other courses, such as learning to operate scissor lifts and cherry pickers and going on equipment specific training courses.
Are there any reflections you’d like to share 10 years on?
In the past 10 years I have met a lot of amazing engineers from various backgrounds. That’s one of the main reasons I have enjoyed and developed as much as I have. Because Amazon is a worldwide company you get to meet a lot of very interesting people from all over the world.
Do you have any words of wisdom for individuals thinking about an apprenticeship today?
I would just say the opportunities to better yourself within Amazon should outweigh any doubts or worries you have. There is nothing I regret at all with my journey within Amazon.