From Sandhurst to Rugeley: Why Amazon targets skills of British Army

Lousie Tester built her expertise with the British Army, as part of the Royal Logistic Corps.

Now she is using her experience helping to co-ordinate the mind-boggling operation to sort thousands of parcels each day.

Amazon actively seeks out former military personnel because it knows they have valuable skills to offer.

Louise works at Amazon’s fulfilment centre in Rugeley as an operations manager and says a wide range of recruitment opportunities are currently available through the Amazon Military Programme.

The programme, which launched in the UK in 2011, offers veterans the opportunity to pursue post-military careers.

Amazon is also a signee of the Armed Forces Covenant. The Covenant, originally introduced in 2011, which has a focus on helping the Armed Forces community to access the same support from government and commercial services as the public.

Louise, aged 30, is one of the hundreds of former servicemen and women currently working in roles at Amazon buildings around the UK.

She and her fellow veterans apply their transferable skills, knowledge and leadership abilities gained in the military to a wide variety of careers across the UK.

She said: “I completed a masters in geology at the University of Birmingham and when I finished the course in 2014, I knew I wanted to join the military. I was particularly drawn to the high tempo style of work and the opportunity to travel. In 2015, I went to Sandhurst to complete officer training and I commissioned into the Royal Logistic Corps, where I served until 2021.

“The highlight of my time in the military was in 2017, when I was part of Operation Ruman in the Caribbean. We were deployed to provide support in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma. I was there for six months, and it was really fulfilling to support islanders as they tried to rebuild their lives. My team of 30 was responsible for taking aid on shore to support the community after the devastation of the hurricane. Another highlight for me was in 2020, when I was deployed with the UN in Cyprus on a peacekeeping mission, which was also a great learning experience for me.

“When the time came to leave the military, I wanted a role that offered me a similar experience in terms of leadership and development opportunities. I’ve long been an Amazon customer and the company has always really appealed to me, so I joined in 2021 on the Amazon Pathways programme as an operations manager.

“Amazon is a great fit for me because a lot of the skills we learn in the military resonate really well with jobs at the company. It’s exciting, fast paced and has opportunities to develop. The emphasis on creating and implementing new ideas is fantastic and really appeals to me.

“This job is a perfect fit for military personnel because we have so much experience of being adaptable and being able to work quickly, and these are some of the core skills needed at Amazon. And, just like the military, the opportunities here really are endless and so many doors are open for you.”

Emma Morgan, programme manager for the Amazon global military programme, added: “Amazon is committed to supporting the men and women who have served their country in the Armed Forces and we’re exceptionally proud to have Louise on our team at Amazon in Rugeley. We’re passionate about offering an exciting range of roles for people looking for a career after leaving the military. I’d encourage anyone who has recently left the Armed Forces to attend some of our Amazon military programme events to see how we can help.”