Technology

Posted on July 3, 2019 by staff

Amazon adds 2,000 to UK workforce

Technology

eCommerce giant Amazon has said it will create 2,000 new jobs in the UK in 2019, which would bring its UK workforce 30,000.

Of the new jobs, 170 workers will be based at Amazon’s development centers in Cambridge, Edinburgh and London.

These centres specialise in the development of voice-recognition tech, its drone-delivery service other new projects.

Amazon said it is hiring engineers, software developers, data scientists and machine learning experts.

New hires are also sought at the firm’s new corporate office in Manchester.

The pace of Amazon’s UK employment is slowing. Last year it unveiled 2,500 new jobs in the country, and in 2017 added 5,000 roles as it opened a new head office.

But Chancellor Philip Hammond praised the commitment to UK jobs as a vote of confidence in the British economy.

“This Government is supporting business to create the high-skilled, high-paid jobs of the future, and these roles will benefit people across the UK, including the cities of Cambridge, Edinburgh, Manchester and London,” he said.

Amazon’s UK country manager Doug Gurr added: “The UK is a fantastic hub for global talent and the exciting, innovative work that takes place here benefits Amazon’s customers around the world,” he said.

“Whether you are looking for a highly specialised role at one of our fulfilment centres or in a field such as machine learning or flight engineering, we offer a wide variety of opportunities.”

In June the tech giant offered a competition to budding entrepreneurial students which could win them a job with the firm.