Amazon announces opening of massive Fresno delivery station. How many jobs will it bring?
Online retail giant Amazon made it official Tuesday: A massive delivery station at Olive and Clovis avenues will soon open, bringing more than 500 full- and part-time jobs to the Fresno metropolitan area near Fresno Yosemite International Airport.
The 183,000-square-foot warehouse will serve as a delivery station – one final stop for packages before they are delivered to customers.
Amazon spokeswoman Natalie Wolfram said the warehouse will bring more than 500 full-time and part-time jobs to the area, with positions starting at $17.25 per hour and including comprehensive benefits such as healthcare, paid time off, dental and vision care.
In a press release issued by Amazon, Mayor Jerry Dyer said:
“I am so pleased to welcome the Amazon Last Mile facility to Fresno, creating hundreds of full-time jobs. ... Those who are unemployed – or underemployed – will now have another avenue to good-paying work that includes healthcare and other benefits.
“Additionally, this southeast Fresno distribution center will put Amazon closer to its customers, which should help reduce traffic congestion and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”
Wolfram said that Amazon will partner with its Delivery Service Partners “to enable fast, everyday shipping.
“The program empowers entrepreneurs with opportunities, resources, and coaching to help them build and scale their own logistics businesses.”
Construction is already underway for the new building that is expected to open in this fall. The last-mile warehouses serve as an intermediate stop for packages between larger fulfillment centers and customers, providing a final sorting stop where drivers collect packages for delivery.
In addition to comprehensive benefits, Wolfram said Amazon’s Career Choice program empowers front-line employees “to grow their skills for career success at Amazon or elsewhere.
“Employees are eligible to participate in the program after 90 days of employment and can take advantage of fully-funded college tuition, industry licenses and certifications that lead to more in-demand jobs, English language proficiency courses, and high school completion programs.”
The warehouse will be the company’s second delivery station in Fresno. Amazon opened a massive, 855,000-square-foot fulfillment center at the southern edge of Fresno in mid-2018, eventually ramping up its hiring to about 2,500 workers.
Since opening, construction has commenced on a nearby second large fulfillment center for Amazon, at 470,000 square feet, after the city of Fresno reached a settlement with residents who objected to the growing number of distribution centers in their south Fresno neighborhood.