Internet giant Amazon is planning to create 4,000 new jobs in the º£½ÇÊÓÆµ as part of a £40bn investment into the country.
The new jobs will come primarily with the opening of new fulfillment centres in Hull and Northampton. The company is also setting up other new sites in the East Midlands and delivery centres around the º£½ÇÊÓÆµ.
Elsewhere Amazon is also investing in its London HQ, upgrading its transportation infrastructure and redeveloping film studios in Berkshire. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Chancellor Rachel Reeves have both welcomed the announcement.
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Amazon CEO Andy Jassy said: “Amazon has been proud to serve our customers in the º£½ÇÊÓÆµ for the past 27 years. Thanks to their support, we’ve grown to be part of over 100 communities nationwide, from developing drone technology in Darlington to producing world-class entertainment at our studios in Bray.
“We now employ over 75,000 people and have become one of the º£½ÇÊÓÆµ’s largest private sector employers and taxpayers. When Amazon invests, it’s not only in London and the South East – we’re bringing innovation and job creation to communities throughout England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, strengthening the º£½ÇÊÓÆµ’s economy and delivering better experiences for customers wherever they live.”
Amazon, which already employs more than 75,000 people in over 100 sites across the º£½ÇÊÓÆµ, said it would be offering 1,000 new full-time apprenticeship roles this year. The company said full-time employees at the new centres would earn a minimum of £28,000 a year, with a range of jobs on offer including positions for robotics technicians, safety experts, and mechatronic engineers.
The company's investment also includes multibillion-pound funding for the building and operating of data centres in the º£½ÇÊÓÆµ that will support the º£½ÇÊÓÆµ’s ambition to increase AI compute capacity and meet the growing demand for cloud and AI technologies.
The plans have been welcomed by the Government, with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer saying: “Amazon’s £40bn investment adds another major win to Britain’s basket and is a massive vote of confidence in the º£½ÇÊÓÆµ as the best place to do business. It means thousands of new jobs—real opportunities for people in every corner of the country to build careers, learn new skills, and support their families.”
And Chancellor Rachel Reeves said: “This investment is a powerful endorsement of Britain’s economic strengths. The world is changing, but this Government is working hand in hand with businesses to navigate that change to create jobs, wealth and opportunity in every corner of the country.”