Amazon is going on a hiring spree, and those living in towns in Ohio, Wisconsin, Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois and Indiana might benefit.
The online retailer is holdings its first Jobs Day Aug. 2. Those looking to work in one of the company’s fulfillment centers can interview at one of 10 participating centers, many of which are located in the Midwest.
Amazon’s goal is to hire 50,000 people during its Jobs Day. The company says that nearly 40,000 of these jobs will be full-time.
Amazon, of course, is bucking the retail trends here. Many traditional retailers are struggling, with big-name ones such as Sears, Macy’s and Gander Mountain closing stores across the country. Amazon, though, is growing, opening a steady stream of distrubtion centers.
How big is Amazon these days? At the end of 2011, the company employed 56,000 workers. Last year, Amazon had more than 340,000 full- and part-time workers. And the company made headlines earlier this year when it announced that it would spend $13.7 billion to buy organic grocery chain Whole Foods.
The pay for these new jobs will vary depending on the site, with jobs averaging about $12 an hour.
Amazon’s Jobs Day will be held Aug. 2 from 8 a.m. to noon (local time) at 10 of its fulfillment centers. In the Midwest, Amazon will be hiring at centers in Kenosha, Wisconsin; Chattanooga, Tennessee; Etna, Ohio; Hebron, Kentucky; Romeoville, Illinois; and Whitestown, Indiana.
Amazon is hiring full-time and part-time positions during Jobs Day. Full-time jobs will include medical benefits and tuition pre-payment plans.
“These are great opportunities with runway for advancement,” said John Olsen, vice president of Amazon’s Worldwide Operations Human Resources, in a written statement. “In fact, of our entry level managers across Amazon’s U.S. fulfillment centers, nearly 15 percent started in hourly roles and were promoted into their current positions.”
