Amazon Promotes 35K Employees, Will Create 100K Seasonal Jobs

Amazon is primed to continue its expansion drive through the holiday season.

The retail giant said it has promoted 35,000 “operations employees” this year and will create an additional 100,000 seasonal jobs as well. The company added in a news release issued on Tuesday (Oct. 27) that 30,000 of its employees have taken advantage of Amazon’s Career Choice program.

Amazon said it “offers jobs for people of all backgrounds and skill levels, and these 100,000 new, seasonal jobs offer opportunities for pay incentives, benefits and a path to a longer-term career, or can simply provide extra income and flexibility during the holiday season.”

The company noted that 12 million Americans are out of work, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Alicia Boler Davis, Amazon’s vice president of global customer fulfillment, said: “These 35,000 newly promoted Amazonians came from a variety of backgrounds, and many started in seasonal jobs like we’re announcing today.”

The company said it offers “competitive pay,” including a $15 minimum wage and the possibility of training. In addition, “full-time employees receive comprehensive benefits on day one, including health, dental and vision insurance” and a 401K plan with a 50 percent company match.

In the release, Amazon touted its training programs. The company said it has invested more than $60 million in Career Choice, “an innovative program designed to help upskill people who are interested in pursuing a future in a high-demand field. With more than half of participants from underrepresented minority groups, the program offers courses covering 20 different career paths,” the release said.

The company said it has partnered with more than 85 educational facilities in the U.S.

In September, Amazon announced that it planned to bring 100 new operations facilities online that month. The company said it was hiring 100,000 new regular positions across the U.S. and Canada, in addition to 33,000 infrastructure and corporate positions announced in the prior week.