Juliana’s dream job is in sight after Amazon internship

Not many students can add a paid internship with Amazon to their CV – especially when they’ve set their sights on a career in logistics and supply chain management.

But that’s exactly what Juliana Merison has done – and now she’s graduating from the University of South Wales with a merit in MBA Global (Supply Chain), where she benefited from an invaluable six-month placement with the global logistics giant.

The 23-year-old came to USW after completing an undergraduate degree in Engineering in her home country of India, thanks to the offer of a work placement to help put theory into practice.

“I was keen to specialise in supply chain management but also have the opportunity to explore more elements of business, such as marketing and human resources,” said Juliana.

“The placement opportunity was also an important factor, to help me gain practical experience alongside my studies. Both elements made USW the perfect choice for me.

“I have loved the experience of studying in the UK. I wanted to get out of my comfort zone, and I’m proud of myself for what I’ve achieved. It has been a dream come true.”

During her studies, Juliana has worked as a student navigator – an important part of helping new students to settle into life at university – and a wellbeing support worker, which has been her way of giving back after a great student experience at USW.

Determined to secure a sought-after placement, Juliana applied for more than 100 roles, and was delighted to be offered the internship at Amazon after being put through her paces with a panel interview.

She then embarked on six months of learning, based at Amazon’s biggest warehouse, BRS1 in Bristol. Juliana worked with the Change team, helping to standardise the department by bringing in creative ideas around data analysis and efficiency.

“I gained so many practical skills and had the opportunity to work with different departments such packing, shipping, and other operational teams, which taught me so much about the whole process, and allowed me to apply what I’d learned during my course in a real work environment,” said Juliana.

“At the end of the internship I presented a white paper I’d written which included some recommendations on how certain processes could be done differently. I received very positive feedback for this, as I had backed up every idea with data-based evidence.”

Now that she has completed her studies, Juliana is looking forward to exploring opportunities in the UK job market, having gained such an invaluable insight into her chosen industry.

“I feel very fortunate to have learned so much from the biggest name in supply chain management, and to have been able to put so much of my learning into practice on a daily basis. As it’s a multinational company, I was working with a wonderfully diverse group of people which has helped boost my confidence and develop leadership skills.

“People think of Amazon and just assume it’s all about packing boxes, but there is so much more to it. They invest heavily in their staff and offer fantastic graduate programmes to help people reach their potential.

“The MBA Global degree has really helped prepare me for the industry. We enjoyed so many guest lectures and seminars which were really inspirational, encouraging us to discuss global issues from the perspective of different stakeholders, and challenging us to look at how different companies employ a range of methodologies.

“I’d never have imagined, a few years ago, that I’d have gained all of these skills and thrived so much from these opportunities. I’m also the first in my family to come to the UK to study, so being able to celebrate with my loved ones on Graduation day is especially meaningful.”