A RECENT study commissioned by Amazon reveals a significant shift in UK workers’ preferences for career preparation, highlighting a growing trend toward on-the-job training and apprenticeships over traditional university degrees.
The Amazon Future of Work and Career Development study, conducted by Ipsos, found that 61 per cent of UK workers believe that practical skills training or apprenticeships are more valuable for today’s job market compared to a university education.
This study comes at a critical time as students across the UK are finishing their GCSE and A-Level exams.
The findings show that less than a third of UK workers aged 16-75 consider a traditional university degree as essential for a successful career as it was a decade ago.
Instead, the focus is shifting towards acquiring new skills, with 79 per cent of employees emphasising the importance of learning new skills within the next 12 months to improve their career prospects.
The necessity of career development training is further underscored by the fact that 86 per cent of adults view such training as crucial when contemplating a job change.
In fact, training programmes offered by employers are now as significant as company culture and flexible working arrangements.
One major concern identified in the study is the affordability of training, with 24 per cent of UK workers stating they cannot afford to pay for training themselves.
To date, Amazon has invested over £55million in the UK, providing access to more than 20 different programmes.
This year, marking the 10th anniversary of Career Choice, Amazon is set to invest an additional £23million in the UK.
The expanded programme now includes new courses such as information security analysis, software testing, and procurement and supply, aiming to equip employees with the skills needed for future job markets.
Mo Abdullahi, a senior operations manager and one of the first UK participants of the programme said: “It gave me an opportunity to learn more about the role I wanted and helped me obtain the qualifications I needed.
“It’s been an incredible journey from starting as a temporary worker to my current role.
“Elsie Merchant, a degree-level apprentice in Automation Engineering at Amazon in Coventry, said: “I’ve loved being involved in various jobs and projects, learning by doing and applying theory.
“I wasn’t keen on going to university, but I knew I wanted to join the industry. This apprenticeship has been a great way to achieve that while continuing my education.”
