27 September 2023 – THG Ingenuity, the complete commerce division of THG plc, has announced it is working with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to establish an ongoing commerce and technology upskilling programme across the Northwest of England following the completion of its initial pilot course. The localised initiative aims to provide opportunities for underprivileged and under-represented individuals of any age to kickstart their careers in the fields of commerce and technology.

THG Ingenuity’s Fundamentals of ecommerce Programme is a comprehensive two-week training course that is available as an additional offering, following learners’ completion of AWS re/Start, a free cohort-based workforce-development programme that helps unemployed and underemployed individuals build cloud computing skills and launch cloud careers.

As part of the Fundamentals of ecommerce Programme pilot, individuals were given the opportunity to enrol in THG Ingenuity’s training course, with 20 applicants being admitted. To mark this significant milestone, Ingenuity celebrated the achievements of these programme learners with a private graduation ceremony at the Manchester campus on 15th September 2023.

THG Ingenuity intends for the Fundamentals of ecommerce Programme course to be rolled out on an ongoing basis in 2024, covering a wide array of subjects, including data and analytics, digital marketing, fulfilment and operations, trading and merchandising, project management, user experience (UX) and design, and essential soft skills training in areas including communication, management, leadership and adaptive thinking.

The new programme aims to pave the way for a promising future of commerce and technology talent whilst also providing essential upskilling in core ecommerce capabilities. Following the successful pilot phase, Ingenuity will officially launch the extension course throughout 2024 with the goal of upskilling approximately 100 learners each year, with the support of AWS.

Vivek Ganotra, CEO of THG Ingenuity, commented: “We are delighted to work alongside AWS to empower the local community through the next stage of their careers. This is just the beginning of our commitment to support individuals through their career journeys, creating positive change in the Northwest and beyond. Drawing our candidate pool from AWS re/Start graduates guarantees resilient and technically skilled individuals who have already built solid foundations of cloud, Python and Linux knowledge, positioning them to make a truly transformative impact in the tech industry. The programme is designed as a hybrid learning experience, incorporating remote learning alongside in-person training at Ingenuity’s prestigious tech campus in Manchester to give learners the best experience.”

Joe Carroll, General Manager, Digital Native Businesses EMEA at Amazon Web Services said: “We are excited to support Ingenuity to launch the Fundamentals of ecommerce Programme that provides an opportunity for AWS re/Start graduates to hone their skills in commerce and technology. At AWS, we’re committed to creating the conditions for all UK organisations to be global leaders in technology. This new programme will play an important role in helping to address the digital skills gap, ensuring that retail organisations can take full advantage of the cloud.”

Programme learner Darima Batorova said: “It has been an enlightening experience, and I've found several aspects of the training to be particularly enjoyable and valuable. The trainers have been exceptional, creating a welcoming and engaging learning environment. The training equips us with valuable insights into understanding business needs and clients, allowing us to contribute more effectively in product development. I believe that it will not only help us upscale our skills but also enable us to contribute significantly to the success of the place we will be working.”