Amazon unveils plans to hire 10,000 UK workers as part of expansion strategy

Amazon Inc (NASDAQ:AMZN) said it is planning to hire an additional 10,000 workers in the UK as well as open four new fulfilment centres as part of its expansion plans. On Friday, the ecommerce giant said the new jobs will expand its UK workforce to 55,000 by the end of 2021, adding that it is also planning to invest £10mln over three years to train up to 5,000 employees in new skills in an effort to “meet the UK’s future employment needs outside of Amazon”. READ: Amazon boss Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin starts selling tickets for trips to space The firm said pay for the operations roles will start at a minimum of £10.80 per hour in London and £9.70 per hour in other areas for all full-time, part-time, temporary, and seasonal positions at its fulfilment centres in addition to benefits and a pension plan. The firm also said it has entered a partnership with the British Chambers of Commerce and local businesses to “identify regional skills shortages to focus training on local needs”. Meanwhile, Amazon said in addition to the four new fulfilment centres it will also open a parcel receive and continue to expand its delivery station network. “We’re creating thousands of good jobs across the UK from a diverse range of roles with excellent pay and benefits. We’re also delighted to be working with the British Chambers of Commerce on a pioneering approach to our Career Choice programme to provide the training, and skilled workers, needed to boost local economies right across the country”, Amazon’s UK country manager John Boumphrey said in a statement. “We’re proud of the front-line roles we offer across Amazon, and we also know that they will be a stepping stone for some in their career journey. For people whose ambitions fall outside of our company, we are pleased to support them by paying for training and academic courses that can get them to where they want to be”, he added. The expansion plan follows a bumper performance for Amazon last year as lockdown measures during the coronavirus pandemic drove a surge in demand for its delivery services. In its results for the first quarter of 2021, the company reported that its net income had more than trebled to US$8.1bn, or US$15.79 per share, compared with US$2.5bn a year ago, while net sales jumped 44% to US$108.5bn.