A IT engineer ditched the chance to go to university and instead pursued his dream job through a different route. Adam Tsang combined working and studying with Amazon and has now graduated with first-class honours.

Adam, who lives in Leicester, had been set to go to university after completing his A-Levels, but did not believe uni was right for him. He said: "I didn’t feel university was the best fit for me after completing my A-Levels. I found I learned better through hands-on, practical experiences. I explored apprenticeship opportunities, applied to several, and received a number of offers, one of which was from Amazon."

Adam's apprenticeship saw him gain a hands-on role at Amazon in Hinckley where he combined work and study on the company's apprenticeship programme. Amazon has announced the creation of 1,000 new apprenticeships in 2025, covering 40 areas of the business.

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For Adam, who has now graduated the apprenticeship with first-class honours and works as an IT engineer with Amazon, he believed it was the right move for him. He said: “Amazon is one of the biggest tech companies out there. The chance to explore various roles and move sideways if needed was appealing. Earning a degree while gaining real-world experience and earning money has been a fantastic experience.

“People think this way of learning is somehow not as good as going to university, but that’s not true. You get so much experience not only in doing the job at hand, but in your exposure to the working world."

John Boumphrey, UK country manager at Amazon, said: "Apprenticeships have been a big focus for Amazon for over a decade, and we're excited to continue creating opportunities for people to start and grow their careers through the announcement of 1,000 new UK apprenticeships in 2025. The Amazon apprenticeship programme is perfect for people of all ages who are either taking their first step on the career ladder, or for those who want to pursue a new path."

The scheme covers areas such as data science and cyber security, HR, marketing, engineering, health and safety, and warehouse operations. Since launching in the UK in 2013, the programme has provided approximately 7,000 apprenticeships. There are currently around 2,000 people on the programme.

Pay at Amazon starts from £13.50 or £14.50 per hour depending on location. The company also offers support for young people with special educational needs who would like to join as interns.

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