In November 2023 I visited Villarreal in Castellón, Spain for Prime Week. I had the opportunity to see one of Amazon’s newest European sites, VLC1 (which launched last year), in full swing during one of the busiest weeks of the year. I met with several members of the Reliability, Maintenance, and Engineering (RME) team, including some female RME Area Managers. I was afforded a site tour and the opportunity to accompany the team on carrying out some of their routine maintenance tasks. The highlight of my trip was meeting a RME Automation apprentice, Sara, who joined Amazon two and a half months ago. She is part in a two-year long apprenticeship program during which she will obtain a Masters Degree in Automation. Here are some highlights from my interview with Sara:
Lottie: Why did you choose a career in engineering?
Sara: Since I was a young child, I’ve always really enjoyed maths, physics, and chemistry, so for me, it was always clear that I would end up in engineering. I love the practical, hands-on element of engineering, and find the work really interesting.
Lottie: Why did you choose an apprenticeship with Amazon?
Sara: In actual fact it came as a bit of a surprise. I signed up to do a Masters and suddenly I had an offer from Amazon to be part of their apprenticeship scheme. I found it intriguing and I could instantly see the opportunities that working in such a large and successful company like Amazon would present. I’ve now been in Amazon for almost three months and I’m really enjoying it. The first few weeks were difficult because there was so much information to absorb; so many acronyms and terminology. It was like entering a different world! Now I am more settled and really feel part of the team here in Villareal.
Lottie: Would you recommend an engineering career to other women and girls?
Sara: Yes, I would definitely recommend, and I’d like to see more women in engineering. I don’t think that career paths or areas of study have a gender. I’m aware that, historically, there weren’t many women working in this field, but nowadays I don’t see a difference, as long as the person has the required ability. In my opinion, a single-gender industry doesn’t advance; diversity is really important for progress. I’d love to say that we live a completely equal society, but I don’t think that’s the case. For example, people are surprised when they see a woman doing something that would more typically be associated with a man, and the women can sometimes be treated differently as a result. People expect to see the same results, even though its down to the capability of the individual person, irrespective of their gender.
Lottie: What would you like to do after finishing your apprenticeship studies?
Sara: Ideally, I would like to keep working in Amazon. I would love to see the world before settling down in one place; all the better it if that is with Amazon. I want to learn as much as I can while I am still young, and spend time with different people and cultures. I believe I am at the perfect stage in life for an adventure!