Inside Amazons new distribution centre, Swansea

Amazon will gift-wrap 1,000 jobs for Swansea Bay - just in time for Christmas. The online retail giant's massive new distribution centre officially opened its doors in Jersey Marine yesterday.With it came the promise of 1,000 full-time and permanent jobs by the time this year's festive rush is in full swing. Click here to view our video from inside Amazon And a deal struck with Jobcentre Plus means locals will have a real chance of bagging them.But it doesn't end there. Over the next five years, Amazon aims to create a total of 1,200 permanent jobs, rising to 2,700 during peak periods.It's a big boost for the entire Swansea Bay area. Then again, Amazon doesn't do things by halves.The 800,000sq ft "fulfillment centre" just off Fabian Way looks big enough from the outside - the equivalent, they say, of 10 football pitches. Step inside, though, and the scale is truly mind-blowing.The view from the elevated walkway was like the final scene of Raiders of the Lost Ark - seemingly endless rows of boxes, and shelves brimming with goodies waiting to be dispatched.And that was just one storage area. There are three of them, but Amazon hasn't even started filling the other two yet.There didn't seem to be a whole lot going on. But, as European operations vice-president Allan Lyall pointed out, it was only day one and the place would be completely different come Christmas. Click here to watch an amazing time delay video showing how the Amazon building has been created.And he was quick to stamp out the rumours that Amazon would be taking on primarily Eastern European workers.Although Mr Lyall said he could not comment on the ethnicity of employees, he told the Post: "You think of 1,200 permanent and 1,500 temporary jobs - 1,000 this year - and of course we'll be going local."We will be working with the local Jobcentre Plus to ensure there is local employment in this building."Yesterday's launch also marked the start of the recruitment drive to fill the posts being created in the months ahead.Mr Lyall said: "Now we are operational, our number one priority is recruitment."We need to fill a high number of vacancies by October so that we are working at full steam when the Christmas period gets underway."Recruitment begins immediately and anyone interested should visit the careers section on www.amazon.co.uk . Amazon has agreed a Local Employment Partnership with Jobcentre Plus, meaning the two companies will work closely throughout the recruitment process.Jobcentre Plus district manager Pam Sutton said: "The agreement between the company and Jobcentre Plus will ensure access to a wide and diverse pool of Jobcentre Plus customers who are eager for work."We are doing a lot of work with our customers to ensure that they are ready for work and have the skills and attitude required for these quality jobs."We are committed to understanding Amazon.co.uk's business so that we can work together for a long time to come."

Channel: News & Politics
Uploaded: April 17, 2008 at 6:16 pm
Author: Gravysatan

Length: 07:00
Rating: 4.00
Views: 1224

Tags: Amazon  centre  distribution  fabian  jersy  marine  news  Swansea  way  

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