Young Swindon worker praises Amazon internship

A young person from Swindon is sharing the story of how their skills and confidence have grown thanks to one of the UK’s leading supported internship programmes.

Jacob Howse is a supported intern at Amazon in Swindon, starting his internship in late 2025 and graduating this summer. 

Supported internships are structured work-based study programmes for young people aged 16 to 24 with Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND) who have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) or equivalent.  

 For young people with a learning disability and/or who are autistic, barriers to employment are particularly acute, with just 6% of adults with a learning disability in England currently in paid work, despite 86% wanting to do so, according to data from local authorities.  

Jacob was drawn to the programme precisely because it offered a chance to get real experience before stepping into paid work.  

He said: “Doing an internship is an easier way to find a job. You’re going in a different direction so you can get the experience first."

The supported internship programme at Amazon was launched in 2021 in a bid to see more young people with SEND enter the workforce. 

It was expanded in 2023 through an ongoing partnership with national charity DFN Project Search. Since the launch of the programme, almost 300 young people have started a supported internship with Amazon, making the company the UK’s largest private sector provider of supported internships. 

 Supported internships at Amazon combine classroom education and practical work experience in a number of roles within an Amazon fulfilment centre, where items are stored, packed and shipped. 

More than 155 people who have completed a supported internship at Amazon have gone on to secure permanent roles at the company. 

During the initial pilot of the Amazon supported internship programme in 2021, three people graduated from the scheme. 

Jacob is among the 140 people with SEND who are graduating from a supported internship across 25 Amazon sites this year. He’s shared what he’s learned whilst working at Amazon to inspire others to take part in the programme. 

Jacob had never worked in a warehouse environment before he joined Amazon’s supported internship programme at the company’s Swindon fulfilment centre last September. 

Before that, he had been at college, studying the basics of Maths and English and completing vocational skills qualifications.  

 Today, Amazon says, he is a confident, capable member of the team, leading employability sessions he once couldn’t bring himself to speak in, and preparing to shadow Amazon’s flow team, where his talent for numbers is already turning heads.  

That approach has paid off. Since starting his Amazon supported internship, Jacob has been trained across multiple areas of the site, working on picking and pallet operations. 

It was the pallets that captured his imagination most, to the point where he proactively asked to be trained in that area, and was.  

Beyond the practical skills he’s learned at Amazon, what Jacob values most is understanding how the whole operation fits together.  

He said: “Before, I came here, I had no idea how Amazon operates. Now I do. I understand the whole process of how things work here."  

When Jacob first started, he would not speak during the employability sessions that form part of the programme. Today he leads them, running the sessions himself and supporting other interns.  

Asked what advice he’d give himself on his first day, bearing in mind his experience since joining, he said: “Be more confident in yourself. And understand that everyone here is so approachable. You can talk to them.” 

Support has come from across the fulfilment centre. Jacob’s former manager, Molly, continues to check in with him. She helps with processes, coaches him on interview questions, and offers guidance even after moving to a different part of the business.  

In April, Jacob shadowed Amazon's flow department, a placement chosen because of his aptitude for numbers and data. 

His ambitions are grounded and clear: stay local to Swindon, start part-time at Amazon and work up to full-time from there. For Jacob, the internship hasn’t just taught him workplace skills. It has shown him what he’s capable of. 

Jacob has now been offered a job at Amazon. The graduation ceremony was attended by his family and Amazon colleagues. 

Speaking on the impact of the supported internship on Jacob, job coach Charlie Miller said: “I have had the privilege of working with our interns at Amazon throughout the entire academic year, and I am delighted to say that two of our interns have already secured paid employment. \

"They are living proof that having a disability does not limit someone’s ability to succeed in the workplace. 

"I am incredibly proud of every one of our interns for everything they have achieved, and I am equally proud to work alongside Amazon in supporting young people to realise their potential and achieve their dreams.” 

Kirsty Matthews, CEO of DFN Project Search, said: “Jacob’s journey is a brilliant reminder of what is possible when young people with a learning disability and/or autism are given a real chance to shine. 

"Watching them grow in confidence and capability at Amazon is wonderful to see.  

“We’re incredibly grateful to have host business partners like Amazon, who continue to open doors that might otherwise have been closed and demonstrating that when businesses make disability inclusion a priority, everyone benefits. 

"These young people have so much to offer, and programmes like this give them the platform to showcase their talents and build meaningful careers.” 

Nearly 300 young people have now been through the scheme, and Amazon recently announced plans to quadruple the programme, supporting an additional 1,000 young people with learning disabilities and autism into employment by 2030. 

The commitment, announced at Amazon’s UK Delivering the Future event in June, builds on the company's position as the UK's largest private sector provider of supported internships. 

 Annual pay for Amazon Operations roles starts from £29,744, and in some locations £31,824. 

Employees are offered a comprehensive benefits package, including private medical insurance, life assurance, income protection and an employee discount as well as a company pension plan.  

For employees reaching their one-year employment mark, Amazon offers the Career Choice programme, which pre-pays 100% of tuition for courses in high-demand fields. 

To promote a more affordable commuting option for employees, Amazon also offers a season ticket scheme to eligible staff. 

Amazon has been named as a ‘Top Employer UK 2026’ by the Top Employer Institute, for the third year in a row, one of the world’s most prestigious certifications in the field of human resources management. 

This award recognises Amazon’s commitment to the development and well-being of its employees. In addition to the UK accolade, Amazon has also been certified as one of the Top Employers in Europe for a fourth consecutive year.  

DFN Project SEARCH is a national charity serving young adults with a learning disability or are autistic, or both, to make a positive transition from education into permanent employment. 

The charity offers an evidence-based supported internship programme that takes place entirely in the workplace and provides continuous support to young adults aged 16 – 24, with the goal of ensuring a transition to meaningful paid employment for every young adult. 

To date, DFN Project SEARCH has supported over 3,600 young people through its programmes with, on average, just under 63% of graduates going on to permanent, paid jobs. 

DFN Project SEARCH has over 200 host businesses across healthcare, retail, hospitality, maintenance and logistics. 

To apply for a supported internship programme with Amazon via DFN Project Search contact [email protected] ahead of the company’s September intake.