Amazon revealed plans to add 100,000 full-time jobs in the United States over the next 18 months, further expanding its workforce that stood at more than 180,000 employees at the end of 2016.
The positions will be opened across the country and cover all types of education, experience, and skill levels, ranging from software developers and engineers to entry-level jobs and internships.
Amazon To Create 100,000 New Jobs
Of the 100,000 new jobs that Amazon will create, many will be in new fulfillment centers that the company has previously announced. These facilities are located in California, Florida, Texas, New Jersey, and several other states.
According to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, there will also be some positions opening up within the company as it continues innovating in areas such as machine learning, cloud technology, and advanced logistics.
In addition to the employment opportunities that Amazon will create, some of the company's businesses such as Amazon Flex and Marketplace is said to be continuing the creation of hundreds of thousands of jobs for Americans who wish to have flexibility in working part-time, working at their own schedule, or in starting their own business.
Should Credit Go To President-Elect Trump?
The team of President-elect Trump was quick in taking credit for the announced new jobs by Amazon, as the move falls in line with Trump's promise to open up more employment opportunities in the United States.
According to Sean Spicer, who would become press secretary after Trump is sworn in as the president of the United States on Jan. 20, Amazon's move was made after Trump held meetings with the leaders of several technology companies, urging them to keep their production processes and employment opportunities within the country.
"The president-elect was pleased to have played a role in that decision by Amazon," said Spicer, referring to the recent meetings that Trump has held in Trump Tower in New York. One of the meetings was between Trump and Bezos, who ran into a spate of differences in Trump's presidential campaign.
Trump attacked Bezos and Amazon, calling the online retail platform a "big tax shelter" and pointing out that there were problems in the company. Bezos, in response, offered to send Trump to space on the Blue Origin rocket.
After their meeting, however, it seems that there was reconciliation between Trump and Bezos, as the Amazon CEO said afterward that the discussion was very productive.
Amazon's New Jobs Might Not Be What Trump Wanted
Trump drew massive support in his campaign to open up traditional labor-force jobs in the United States, but a significant share of the new 100,000 positions that Amazon will be opening require intensive skill and tech knowledge.
An analysis on the job listings of Amazon indicate that more than half of the openings are listed under the technology category, including positions such as data scientists and computer engineers. Only 5 percent of the job listings are in the aforementioned fulfillment centers.
It is unclear if Amazon will be shifting its job openings more toward fulfillment centers, but the possibility is highly unlikely considering the company's increasing investments in streaming content, the Echo smart speakers and the Alexa digital assistant, and the growth of markets overseas.
