Stop blaming young people for being unemployed, says Amazon's UK boss

Amazon's UK chief, John Boumphrey, has emphasized that the rising unemployment rates among young individuals should not be attributed to their personal shortcomings. "We have to stop blaming young people," Boumphrey stated in an interview with the BBC, indicating that the current education system fails to adequately prepare young people for the workforce.

Recent statistics reveal that nearly one million young Britons are neither engaged in education nor employment. Despite this, Amazon faces challenges in recruiting candidates with the necessary skills. Boumphrey advocates for making work experience compulsory for those over the age of 16, asserting, "It's not a motivation problem, it's a system problem, and that requires a system response."

According to Boumphrey, Amazon employs 75,000 individuals in the UK, half of whom transition directly from education or unemployment. Official data indicates a slight uptick in the UK's unemployment rate, which rose to 5% in the three months leading up to March, up from 4.9% in the preceding three months.

As the country manager for Amazon UK, Boumphrey stated, "I think too often you read about young people that somehow they lack motivation, they lack resilience, they lack the will to develop skills. That is not our experience." He described working with individuals who are often the furthest from the job market and noted, "That's where we actually see the biggest transformation."

He argues that mandatory work experience for those over 16 is crucial, as it provides opportunities for young people to acquire skills that are often not part of the educational curriculum but are highly sought after by employers. "If you get a T-level student, they come in for a week, they understand the value of teamwork, of communication and problem solving," Boumphrey explained during a Big Boss interview with the BBC.

The current job market in the UK shows signs of weakness, particularly affecting young people amid reductions in roles within hospitality and graduate schemes. In contrast, Boumphrey mentioned that Amazon is struggling to find enough qualified candidates to meet its hiring needs.

With 100 facilities in the UK, including 30 warehouses, Boumphrey stressed the importance of collaboration between businesses, local governments, and further education institutions to identify regional skills gaps.

He also addressed concerns about automation, stating that when Amazon implemented robots in its warehouses, the anticipated loss of jobs did not occur. "Actually, the reverse happened... we ended up employing more people," he noted, adding that the demand for specialized roles such as mechatronics engineers and technicians has surged, yet there is a shortage of qualified candidates.

Amid scrutiny regarding its tax contributions in the UK, Boumphrey pointed out that critics argue Amazon's tax payments have not kept pace with its increasing sales driven by online shopping since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. Earlier this year, the company surpassed Walmart to become the world's largest entity by annual sales.

In the UK, Amazon represents a significant share of the online retail market, accounting for 30% of all online sales. Regarding tax obligations, Boumphrey stated, "Last year we contributed more than £5.8bn. Of course we pay all the tax we're meant to pay, but when you think about our contribution, it isn't just the amount of tax we pay, it's also the 75,000 jobs we create."