TAMPA, Fla. — Amazon said on Tuesday that it will hire 250,000 full- and part-time workers for the holiday season, a 67% jump compared to last year.
More jobs are available because the company has opened more than 50 new fulfillment centers, delivery stations and same-day delivery sites in the U.S. this year, Amazon said in a news release.
The e-commerce giant also said it will invest $1.3 billion this year toward pay hikes for warehouse and transportation employees, raising the average pay for those roles from $19 to over $20.50 per hour.
In the local area, Amazon is expected to hire more than 2,500 employees in Tampa.
“The holiday season is always a special time at Amazon and we’re excited to hire 250,000 additional people this year to help serve customers across the country,” John Felton, Amazon’s senior vice president of Worldwide Operations, said in a statement. “Whether someone is looking for a short-term way to make extra money, or is hoping to take their first step toward a fulfilling and rewarding career at Amazon, there’s a role available for them.
"A fulfillment or transportation employee who starts with us today will see a 13% increase in pay over the next three years—likely more, including our annual wage investments—and that’s on top of offerings like pre-paid college tuition with Career Choice and health care benefits on day one.”
The company said it will be hiring for departments in stowing, picking, packing, sorting, shipping customer orders and other roles. All jobs can either be full or part-time with benefits and workers earning between $17 to $28 per hour depending on the position and location in the U.S.
Across the state, Amazon is expected to hire more than 3,000 workers in South Florida, 1,000 workers in Orlando and 4,000 workers in Jacksonville.
"Since 2010, Amazon has invested more than $28 billion in Florida, including infrastructure and compensation to employees, and has created more than 49,000 direct jobs here," the news release reads. "These investments support an additional 65,000 indirect jobs across the state, in fields like construction and professional services, and have contributed more than $27.5 billion to the Florida GDP, on top of the company’s direct investments."
To learn more about the expected job openings for Amazon this holiday season, click here.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.