A NEW wave of apprentices are set to hit the ground running at a major employer in Bolton.

47 trainees are about to embark on their career paths at the Amazon fulfilment centre at Middlebrook.

Engineers, IT specialists, safety technicians and operations team all form part of the autumn 2019 intake, as part of the firm’s apprenticeship programme.

Among them is Chris Nilsson, who has been studying business improvement techniques and is looking to turn all of the theory into practice.

The 35-year-old, said: “The programme has been great for me and I love that no two days are the same.

“There’s always something different to work on every day and I find that both rewarding and challenging.

“The team at Amazon in Bolton have made me feel really welcome and I feel supported when I’m working at the site.”

His training has included guidance on health and safety, problem solving, planning and communication, with trainees encouraged to take on individual and group projects.

He added: “I’m looking forward to graduating from the programme in 2020, when I plan to continue progressing my career.

“For anyone out there who is thinking about applying for an apprenticeship, my advice would be to go for it.

“It’s a great way to earn and to learn and you get the benefits and opportunities of a full-time member of the team while being paid to train towards your future career.”

Paul Ashraf, general manager at the Bolton site, will be on hand to guide the apprentices in the next steps along the way.

He said: “It’s great to welcome Chris and the apprentices to Amazon in Bolton. The apprentices will now take the next step on the career ladder, teaming up with our established engineers, IT and operations managers to learn about working at Amazon.

“Gaining practical knowledge of the role while learning is invaluable and also helps our apprentices learn how to work as a team.

“Above all else, they’re going to have a great time and will have a chance to join in with all of the fun events that we have here throughout the year.”

The programme takes on a range of people, from school leavers with GCSEs and A-Levels to more experienced candidates with life skills. For more details those interested can go online to www.amazon.jobs/apprentices