Amazon will soon deliver to Oklahomans a large economic impact.
In May, Amazon revealed plans for a fulfillment center in Oklahoma City with a projected opening by the 2019 holiday season. Since then, a second facility in Tulsa was announced. Oklahomans will see about 3,000 new jobs in the state … and their packages from Amazon arriving sooner than before.
The fulfillment centers are expected to create a variety of full-time positions, such as facility technicians, human-resource team members and warehouse workers. Building these centers will also create construction jobs in the short term and deliver other work opportunities later.
“[Amazon’s] investment of over $140 million is a big support to the local tax base, especially schools,” says Larry McAtee, a member of the Oklahoma City Council. “In addition, the creation of jobs provides opportunities that are not necessarily available for lower-income earners to continue gaining more experience and more pay. It is important that everyone in the community has an opportunity for a higher-wage job.”
He adds that the facility will benefit OKC “not only from a tax base standpoint and a job opportunity perspective, but having a large growing company like Amazon in our market is positive.”
Mike Neal, CEO of the Tulsa Regional Chamber of Commerce, says a fulfillment center will be good for the city and state.
“We are absolutely thrilled that the Amazon fulfillment center brings with it 1,500 quality, full-time jobs with benefits and professional development, not to mention the significant capital investment in our region,” he says. “The fact that this fulfillment center will feature the latest in automation aligns perfectly with the goal of attracting more new economy, technology-based jobs to our region.”
Amazon employees at both centers will work alongside innovations created by Amazon Robotics to pick, pack and ship small items, such as books, household items and toys.
The centers will shorten the wait time for purchased items. Some customers near Amazon fulfillment centers can take advantage of one-day and same-day delivery. Amazon Prime members in participating ZIP codes can place an order in the morning and receive orders over $35 before bedtime that same day, seven days a week, at no extra cost. Non-Prime members can have same-day delivery for an additional fee. Orders placed in the morning will arrive the same day; orders placed in the afternoon or evening will arrive the next day.
When the fulfillment centers are closer to opening, potential workers can apply at amazondelivers.jobs.
