(NEXSTAR) — Amazon is holding what it is calling its “biggest-ever training and recruiting event” Wednesday, with the goal of filling thousands of jobs at an average starting wage of over $18 per hour, with some making even more.
The retail giant is looking to fill transportation and fulfillment roles during its Career Day event, with some of the positions receiving up to $22.50 hourly.
The wages are offered as part of Amazon’s efforts to fill an additional 125,000 local jobs throughout the U.S. on top of the 40,000 corporate and technology jobs it announced earlier this month.
There are also sign-on bonuses of up to $3,000 available in certain locations.
“Amazon’s job creation efforts will be welcomed by job seekers across America — especially in more rural locations, which are traditionally not the focus of strong retail investment,” said Neil Saunders, managing director of retail for GlobalData, an intelligence and analytics research firm, in a statement.
Saunders said company research shows salaries for logistics jobs are 16% higher than “shop-floor” jobs, and more logistics positions have “scope for full-time working” and come with benefits.
“In essence, this expansive job creation effort will provide an injection of wealth and opportunity into local areas,” Saunders said.
Amazon said hiring is already underway, though job seekers interested in participating in its hiring event can register for free on the company’s Career Day page.
New hires will be eligible for benefits that include Amazon’s Career Choice program, under which the company says it will pay the full cost of its frontline workers’ college tuition as soon as 90 days from their start date.
The funding for the education program equates to an investment of $1.2 billion by 2025, Amazon said last week.