Young people from Tilbury have spoken about the gains they have made in skills and confidence through a supported internship at Amazon’s fulfilment centre in the town, as the company’s national partnership to widen access to work for people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) continues to grow.
Logan Halsey and Isaac Moorhouse began as supported interns in Tilbury in late 2025 and are now graduating from the programme this summer. Their placements form part of a wider initiative that sees Amazon combine classroom-based learning with practical experience inside its operations, where items are stored, packed and shipped. The structured internships are designed for 16 to 24-year-olds with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) or an equivalent plan.
Local experience, national programme
Amazon launched its supported internship offer in 2021 and expanded it in 2023 through an ongoing collaboration with the national charity DFN Project SEARCH. Since the start, almost 300 young people have taken up places across the UK, making Amazon the country’s largest private-sector provider of such internships. According to the company, more than 155 graduates have subsequently moved into permanent roles at Amazon.
This summer’s graduating cohort numbers almost 140 interns across 25 Amazon sites, including the Tilbury fulfilment centre. For Logan and Isaac, the year-long placement has provided not just practical experience but a clearer sense of their capabilities and next steps. Their accounts arrive against a stark national backdrop: local authority data indicate that only 6% of adults with a learning disability in England are in paid employment, despite 86% expressing a desire to work.
What a supported internship involves
Supported internships are work-based study programmes tailored to help young people with SEND transition to employment. At Amazon, that blend includes:
- Classroom learning aligned to workplace skills and routines
- Rotations in different roles within a fulfilment centre environment
- Coaching and on-the-job support to build confidence and independence
The Tilbury experience reflects that model, with interns gaining exposure to roles across the local site. Participants complete their placements with a stronger understanding of workplace expectations, alongside practical competencies developed in a live operational setting.
Key figures at a glance
| Measure | Figure | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Adults with a learning disability in paid work (England) | 6% | Local authority data |
| Adults with a learning disability who want paid work | 86% | Local authority data |
| Interns who have started at Amazon since 2021 | Almost 300 | UK-wide |
| Interns moving into permanent jobs at Amazon | More than 155 | Progression outcomes |
| Sites hosting supported internships (this year) | 25 | National coverage |
| Graduating interns this year | Almost 140 | UK cohort, including Tilbury |
Why it matters for Thurrock
Tilbury’s fulfilment centre is a significant local employer, and the presence of a training route that is explicitly structured around the needs of young people with SEND is notable in a borough where pathways from education to work can be uneven. The approach links day-to-day operational tasks with employability, and offers a bridge into a large workplace with defined processes and support.
The programme’s scale—spanning dozens of sites—suggests a maturing model that can accommodate cohorts each academic year. For families and schools in Thurrock, the fact that placements are delivered on site in Tilbury reduces travel barriers and provides experience within a familiar local context. The reported conversion of graduates into permanent roles indicates a route to sustained employment, though outcomes will vary by individual and by the availability of suitable positions at or beyond the host site.
Access and next steps
Eligibility is set nationally for supported internships: candidates are typically aged 16–24, have SEND and hold an EHCP or equivalent. While programme details for future cohorts are not set out here, families, carers and education providers in Thurrock commonly seek information via providers’ official channels. Locally, the Tilbury centre continues to host placements as part of the wider network, with interns like Logan and Isaac illustrating how structured support can translate into practical skills and growing independence.
As the latest cohort graduates, the focus turns to sustaining the momentum into paid work. The overall picture from the data remains challenging—very low national employment rates for adults with a learning disability—but the combination of classroom teaching, supported workplace practice and a clear progression route offers a template that is beginning to shift outcomes for some participants, including here in Thurrock.
