Amazon creates 500 new jobs in Leicestershire

Amazon is creating 500 new jobs by opening a 1m sq ft fulfilment centre in Coalville, Leicestershire.

The new permanent jobs will be created over a period of three years, with each worker starting on "£7.20 an hour or more", rising by 11% or more after two years, and complete with a "comprehensive benefits package," the company said. This includes medical insurance, a company pension plan, life assurance, income protection, subsidised meals and an employee discount.

Amazon has already started recruiting for operations managers, engineers, HR and IT roles, and associates, who will handle orders at the fulfilment centre.

The centre in Mountpark Bardon will begin operating this autumn and is part of a larger plan to create 2,500 jobs in the UK this year, according to Amazon. 

It will bring the company's total workforce to 14,500 by the end of 2016, Amazon said. The company is also planning to hire "up and down the country" for its head office, research and development centres, customer service centres, fashion photography studio and new Amazon Web Services (AWS) UK data centres, currently being built in the UK.

John Tagawa, Amazon’s vice president of UK Operations, said:  “We are excited to create 500 new permanent jobs over three years in Leicestershire with competitive wages and comprehensive  benefits starting on day one. Amazon has a dedicated and enthusiastic workforce who play a crucial role in delivering a first rate level of service for our customers and we look forward to recruiting people from Leicestershire and the surrounding area.”

Andrew Bridgen, MP for North West Leicestershire, said: “I welcome Amazon’s investment in North West Leicestershire along with its potential for 500 jobs. North West Leicestershire continues to be an area good for business and long-term investment and we are currently enjoying one of the highest economic growth rates outside London and the South East. I am pleased that such a reputable company has the confidence in the area not only given its strategic location but also for the recruitment of a wide ranging work force.”