THE Amazon fulfilment centre in Great Sankey honoured Armed Forces (Reserve) Days by paying tribute to the veterans and reservists who have joined Amazon during the last eight years.

Mark Farrer, aged 37, joined the Amazon operations team two years ago and has worked in the fulfilment centres in Manchester and Bolton, before moving to Warrington as a safety specialist.

Mark’s father and grandfather were both merchant sailors, so Mark wanted followed in his family’s footsteps of service and joined the Royal Navy.

Mark said: “After completing basic and job specialisation training, I joined my first warship at age 17, the HMS Newcastle.

"It was an amazing experience that led me to travel all around the world. I caught the end of a global deployment and spent five years at sea, where I touched land in every continent.

“I joined Amazon because it is a global company that offers a structured career with the ability to work up the chain of command.

"Working in safety, I can directly influence those around me and help guide the company. We have an amazing team where everyone is big in heart and goes above and beyond every day to make a difference.

"I look forward to the future at Amazon. Having been involved in three launches of Amazon Robotics buildings since joining Amazon, I am looking to cement my place as a manager in all things robotics.”

As a signee of the Armed Forces Covenant, Amazon has joined a national pledge to ensure that those who serve or have served, and their families, are treated fairly.

In 2011, Amazon launched its Military Programme in the UK, offering veterans the opportunity to pursue exciting post-military careers.

This year, Amazon has gone a step further by announcing that it will support employees who continue to serve with the military as members of the Armed Forces Reserve by ensuring that they will get up to two weeks of paid leave each year to attend training in addition to their annual leave.

Gillian Russell, military programme manager, and retired Royal Navy Officer at Amazon, said:

“We understand how important it is for people to find fulfilling jobs after they leave the Services.

"We’re always looking to recruit veterans who want to continue to use their hard-earned skills in a fast-paced business environment that appreciates their training and operational experience gained during their time in uniform.

Who knows, maybe they just might join the team and become Amazon's next general managers, directors and VPs."