A trip to the world-famous Space Needle, lunch in Pike Place Market and a visit to the Museum of Pop Culture are just three of the experiences enjoyed by Liam from Ferryhill and Anthony from Co Durham after they had a once in a lifetime trip to the US.

Liam and Anthony, who work at Amazon's fulfilment centre in Durham, took part in the week-long trip with colleagues from across the UK and Ireland as part of a programme called I Found the Right Place.

I Found the Right Place is open to Amazon employees in the UK and Ireland and asks the simple question – 'what makes Amazon the right place for you?'. Employees are invited to talk about why they love working at Amazon and the best stories are selected by a judging panel, with the finalists taking delivery of a boarding pass for the trip of a lifetime.

More than 2,000 Amazon employees submitted their story as part of the campaign and Liam and Anthony were selected by the judges as among the 18 people who boarded the plane to Seattle.

Liam and Anthony and their colleagues had an action-packed week in Seattle, where they toured Amazon's global headquarters, saw the latest Amazon technology during a fulfilment centre tour and enjoyed the sights and sounds of the city's Pike Place Market, Space Needle, Museum of Pop Culture and more.

Liam Kemp works at the Amazon fulfilment centre in Durham on the inbound dock team. He joined Amazon during the pandemic after he was made redundant from his job in retail – an industry he worked in for 20 years.

Anthony Cleckner works at the Amazon fulfilment centre in Durham as a learning and development trainer. After setting up his own business in the hotel industry, Anthony saw his business badly impacted by COVID-19 and he made the painful decision to cease trading and search for a new role.

Both Liam and Anthony joined Amazon in Durham during the pandemic, when finding work was difficult. Almost four years after joining Amazon, they found themselves taking seats on the plane to Seattle as part of the I Found the Right Place programme.

Liam was selected for the trip of a lifetime because of his determination to forge a new career pathway at Amazon. During his time with Amazon, Liam has used many of the company's training and development programmes to move from a temporary role to the permanent position he holds today.

Anthony was selected because of his willingness to support himself and everyone around him, while dealing with a tragic family circumstance. In his entry for the I Found the Right Place programme, Anthony spoke about his appreciation for Amazon and his colleagues, who supported him when his brother-in-law tragically passed away.

"Joining Amazon at the start was a little daunting," Liam said. "Going from a small team I'd worked with for decades to being one of 2,000 new faces at Amazon was a challenge. But over time, I got a permanent contract, started to get opportunities, and began to see what other people were achieving. I started making friends and I could see there was a future at Amazon and today I find myself in a job that I love, having just returned from the trip of a lifetime."

"That was the moment I knew that I'd not just found a new role – but I'd found a family," Anthony says. "During that time, the support I received was incredible. My managers supported me, my colleagues sent flowers and cards to my wife, even though they'd never met her. For the first time in my life, I felt like part of a family outside my family."

Both spent a week exploring the sights and sounds of Seattle. What were their highlights? "Seeing the home of Amazon. It's like a utopian city. Everything is shiny and new – it's a brilliant environment. That was my highlight – it was fantastic," said Liam.

"When I found out I was going to Seattle, it was a mind-blowing whirlwind!" Anthony said. "It's been an incredible trip. My favourite thing about going to Seattle was meeting so many different people. From my colleagues from around the UK who joined me on the trip to the Amazon team in the US – they're all lovely people and I've enjoyed getting to meet them."

Anthony also enjoyed exploring Seattle, visiting the Museum of Pop Culture and the Space Needle, and meeting amazing people from around the world who he's sure he'll see again soon.

Michael Collier, Site Lead at Amazon's fulfilment centre in Durham added: "Liam and Anthony are much-loved members of the team here at Amazon in Durham and we were so pleased when we found out they were off to Seattle. We're proud to have them represent our team on the trip and we know they had a brilliant time. I Found the Right Place is one of the many programmes we run here at Amazon to show our appreciation for the colleagues that deliver smiles for our customers every day."

Amazon employees receive competitive pay and comprehensive benefits. The minimum starting pay for frontline operations employees is between £13.50 and £14.50 p/h, depending on location. For those with 36 months service, this is £13.75 and £14.75p/h, depending on location. This equates to an annual starting salary of between £28,080 and £30,160, depending on location, for full-time frontline employees across the country.

Amazon has invested £550m in increased pay for operations employees across the UK since 2022, representing a 35% increase in the hourly rate in just two years. Additionally, from day one, all employees are offered a comprehensive benefits package including private medical insurance, life assurance, income protection, subsidized meals and an employee discount. Together, these benefits are worth more than £700 annually, and employees can take advantage of Amazon's company pension plan.

Amazon employees can also take part in Amazon's Career Choice programme, which covers up to 100% of tuition and fees for courses in high-demand fields, regardless of whether the participant proceeds to pursue a career at Amazon.

Amazon has been named as a 'Top Employer UK 2025' by the Top Employer Institute, for the second 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 third consecutive year.

In 2025, Amazon ranked in second place on LinkedIn's Top Companies list — an annual list that identifies the most sought-after large companies to work for and grow your career in the UK. Using data from LinkedIn's 900 million members, LinkedIn's Top Companies list is designed to help professionals identify the best companies to grow their careers.