Amazon begins hiring in Akron on Friday

AKRON Amazon will begin accepting online applications Friday morning for 1,500 openings at its new fulfillment center in Akron on the site of the former Rolling Acres Mall.

People can apply by going to amazon.com/clevelandjobs. Job candidates must be 18 years or older and have a high school diploma or equivalent to be considered.

Amazon said jobs are available on a rolling basis and typically fill up quickly. The company said it encourages people to sign up for text alerts for regular updates by texting AKCNOW to 77088 to receive automated messages about job openings. To learn more and apply online, visit here.

The company provides minimum pay of $15 an hour plus benefits.

The company earlier this week said it expected to begin hiring for the massive fulfillment center beginning in early fall. Instead, with this announcement it sped up the timeline. Amazon said once it begins hiring it typically starts operations at new fulfillment centers within one to two months.

Akron fulfillment center employees will work alongside robots and other automated machinery to receive inventory, pick and ship customer orders, and support network logistics, Amazon said in a news release. The company said it has put into place measures to protect employees during the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.

The jobs at the 2.7 million square foot multi-story plant are expected to provide an economic boost to the city and surrounding region, including revitalizing the Romig Road corridor that declined with the demise of the former Rolling Acres Mall. The city has said it wants as many Akron residents as possible get jobs there.

Amazon since 2010 said it has created more than 23,500 jobs in Ohio and invested more than $5.9 billion across the state. It now has eight fulfillment and sortation centers, six delivery stations, an air hub, 12 Whole Foods Market locations, four Amazon Hub Locker+ locations and a wind farm.

Full-time employee benefits include health, vision and dental insurance, 401(k) with 50 percent company match and up to 20 weeks paid parental leave. The company also offers what it calls the Career Choice program, which pre-pays 95% of tuition for courses in high-demand fields.

In addition, Amazon has pledged to invest more than $700 million to provide training for 100,000 U.S. employees for in-demand jobs. Programs will help Amazon employees access training to move into what it calls highly skilled roles in the company’s corporate offices, tech hubs, fulfillment centers, retails stores, and transportation network, or pursue career paths outside of Amazon.

Jim Mackinnon covers business. He can be reached at 330-996-3544 or jmackinnon@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow him @JimMackinnonABJ on Twitter or www.facebook.com/JimMackinnonABJ.