Amazon is bringing jobs, investments and opportunities for Australian businesses

Amazon Worker Prepares Items for Cyber Monday — A worker gathers items for delivery from the warehouse floor at Amazon's distribution center in Phoenix, Arizona November 22, 2013. Reuters/Ralph D. Freso

Amazon has officially announced the location of its first Australian fulfilment centre. The e-commerce giant is set to bring hundreds of jobs, millions of investments and opportunities for Australian businesses to Melbourne with the opening of its centre in Dandenong South.

The fulfilment centre is situated in the Pellicano’s M2 Industry Park. It is near Monash Highway, South Gippsland Highway and EastLink. The lease was arranged through CBRE, a commercial real estate firm.

Wade Noonan, the Victorian industry minister, said that Amazon was the latest international company to pick Victoria for its operations here. He added that the company’s decision to locate its centre in Dandenong South will generate hundreds of local jobs and open up retail opportunities for several local businesses.

Amazon jobs in Australia

Amazon said it would immediately start with the recruitment for various roles such as operations managers, systems technicians, HR specialists, pickers and packers. Amazon’s director of operations for Australia Robert Bruce said they are thrilled to create hundreds of new roles in Dandenong South.

“This new fulfilment centre will stock hundreds of thousands of products which will be available for delivery to customers across Australia when we launch our retail offering,” Bruce said. He assured it is just the beginning.

Amazon, Bruce said, will bring thousands of new jobs to Australia and millions of dollars of investment. It will also open up opportunities for Australian businesses to sell at home and abroad, thanks to Amazon Marketplace.

Amazon jobs previously announced included manual labour roles for physical warehouse activities. Some would require lifting and moving material up to 16kg each, depending on the type of work. Some occupations may require a worker to stand and walk for up to 10-12 hours per day in a building more than 400 metres long, according to the Australian. The vast majority of Amazon's hiring is for what the company calls its fulfilment network.

The company is looking to hire people who pick and pack orders in warehouses and unload and drive delivery trucks. It also offers high-paying jobs for people with engineering and business degrees.

Amazon currently has over 382,000 employees globally. A spokesperson for the company said the opening date will be announced soon. If Amazon hires 50,000 people this month, economists believe it could be sufficient to make a significant impact on the country's August employment numbers.

Amazon Web Services opened here in 2012, then launched a Kindle Store on Amazon.com.au in 2013. Currently, it has almost 1,000 employees in Australia. Those interested to work for Amazon may visit www.amazon.jobs.

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