Amazon has announced it is recruiting more than 15,000 seasonal staff across the UK to meet customer demand in the run-up to Christmas.
The US internet retailer, which is expanding its UK operations, said it expected hundreds of the temporary staff would eventually be offered permanent jobs.
The company said it will create a variety of roles across its distribution centres and its customer service centre in Edinburgh.
The distribution sites are in Doncaster, Dunfermline, Gourock, Hemel Hempstead, Inverclyde, Milton Keynes, Peterborough, Rugeley and Swansea Bay.
Amazon’s director of operations said: “On our busiest shopping day last Christmas, customers ordered a total of 3.5m items during one 24-hour period at a rate of 44 items a second.
“During the Christmas season, seasonal associates play a critical role in making sure we meet increased demand from customers.
“As we continue to expand our UK operations, we expect many hundreds of these temporary associates to move into permanent positions as has been the case in previous years.”
Amazon said that last year it recruited 10,000 seasonal staff in the run-up to the festive season and by the end of January had offered permanent roles to 1,000 temporary staff.
Recruitment for these roles will be ongoing in the lead up to the festive period and prospective employees can apply online.
Amazon, which recently opened a 20,000 sq. metre office in central London, has over 6,000 permanent employees in the UK.
Meanwhile luxury department store John Lewis has launched its Christmas recruitment process with applications open for roles at its stores across the country.
Positions are available in departments including the Christmas shop, homeware, furnishing accessories, fashion and electricals.
The retailer is also on the lookout for a number of temporary staff to work in its warehouses, where it expects to process over 80,000 orders every day in the weeks leading up to Christmas.
The 24 locations, including John Lewis’s 650,000 sq. ft. flagship Magna Park distribution centre in Milton Keynes, process orders for both its 39 stores and its online business.
John Lewis personnel director Laura Whyte said: “Christmas is an extremely important and busy time of the year for the business and it is essential that we have a strong and committed workforce in place early.”
Temporary positions are also open at its customer service call centres.
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