Nine Amazon leaders will become secondary school governors as part of a new strategic partnership with the Baking Dearing Educational Trust.
Amazon and the England-based technical education charity, which represents 44 University Technical Colleges across England, marked the start of the partnership with a visit to The Leigh University Technical College (UTC) in Dartford on Wednesday 25 June.
Amazon UK Country Manager John Boumphrey led the company’s delegation. Baker Dearing’s was headed by former Education Secretary and the charity’s Life President Lord Baker, alongside CEO Kate Ambrosi.
Days before this milestone meeting, Amazon announced plans to invest £40 billion in the UK, creating thousands of new permanent, full-time jobs in the UK. The investment will also support 1,000 new full-time apprenticeship roles this year, while supercharging its impact on local economies. Amazon also recently placed third in the UK’s Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers list for 2025.
Leigh UTC students Flo, Jenson, Sam, and Skyla, who have been accepted onto prestigious degree apprenticeship programmes with Amazon, also attended the visit. They will be starting programming and user experience roles in September while studying at either Queen Mary University of London or the University of Manchester.
Top Amazon staff supporting UTCs across England
The full list of governors is as follows:
- University Collegiate School – Ian Grant, Senior Apprenticeship Programme Manager
- Doncaster UTC – Adam Banks, General Manager, Site Lead
- Silverstone UTC – Stuart Paul, Senior Regional Manager
- Leeds UTC – Jack Docherty, Site Lead
- Crewe Engineering and Design UTC – Neil Travis, Regional Director of Operations
- London Design and Engineering UTC – Ruzanna Sargsyan, Regional Director
- The Leigh UTC – Kareem Edwards, Senior Manager (Operations)
- Greater Peterborough UTC – Andrew Weatheritt, Senior Regional Manager
- Waterfront UTC – John McEwen, General Manager
The Amazon governors will help design and deliver the curriculum of their respective UTCs, ensuring what is being taught to students is relevant for employment.
As well as the governors, Amazon will also be running more projects for students, offer more T Level industry placements, and is sponsoring the Baker Award for Technical Education, which celebrates young people who have taken steps to prepare for work.
New technical pathways for schools discussed by Amazon
Attendees took the opportunity during their visit to tour The Leigh UTC. They took in an exhibition of student projects, including a robot that was showcased by two students. The visitors also saw the UTC’s impressive engineering workshop, which features state-of-the-art equipment on which students hone their craft.
Following the tour, the delegates gathered to discuss how to take the partnership forward. This includes through Baker Dearing’s UTC Sleeve initiative, which would create specialist pathways, focusing on areas such as digital or engineering, within mainstream secondary schools, drawing on the experience and successes of the UTC programme.
John Boumphrey, Amazon UK Country Manager, commented:
“Having witnessed the transformative power of apprenticeships at Amazon, I’ve seen countless talented young people forge successful, fulfilling careers through hands-on learning experiences. That’s why we’re teaming up with the Baker Dearing Educational Trust and UTC network – to give more young people opportunities to develop their skills and build confidence for the workplace.
“It was fantastic to meet Flo, Jenson, Sam and Skyla, and I look forward to welcoming them to Amazon later this year as we continue to expand our apprenticeship programme across the country.”
Kate Ambrosi, Chief Executive of the Baker Dearing Educational Trust, commented:
“Baker Dearing and the UTC network is immensely proud to be working so closely with Amazon, one of the world’s most innovative companies.
“The work we have already done with Amazon on events and projects for UTCs has helped raise young peoples’ aspirations and help staff better prepare our students for their next steps.
“This strategic partnership will mean Amazon leaders can bring their managerial experience and industry expertise to bear in supporting the leadership of UTCs.
“Amazon is working in so many fields that are of vital importance to the UK economy – most notably digital technology and the creative industries – so Baker Dearing is confident the young professionals who progress from a UTC to Amazon will help accelerate economic growth across the UK.”
