Amazon will from today begin recruiting in SA to fill 3 000 new virtual job vacancies in customer service this year.
The international conglomerate says the roles will range from customer service associates, to technical experts who will work virtually while supporting Amazon customers in North America and Europe.
With the new recruits, Amazon will have a total permanent workforce of 7 000 in SA by the end of the year.
“The new jobs reflect our continued commitment to South Africa’s economic development, and I am proud to have South Africa be a growing part of our ability to deliver a great experience to Amazon customers around the world and provide employees with the opportunity to work safely from home,” says Andrew Raichlin, director of Amazon customer service in SA.
“We are thrilled with the talent in South Africa and we are excited to add 3 000 skilled jobs this year in customer service, and to help keep people working during this unprecedented time.”
Candidates interested in applying must have completed Matric/Grade 12/NQF level four qualification or higher, have an excellent command of English and be a South African citizen.
Amazon says the technical positions will support customer inquiries on devices, digital and Alexa.
In a statement, it notes: “These roles will require candidates to translate technical information and provide instructions to help Amazon customers troubleshoot issues. Since these will be virtual roles, applicants will also need a private, quiet workspace and an existing and dedicated Internet connection, according to Amazon specifications.”
The company is offering employees a comprehensive benefits package, including employer contributions towards medical aid and provident fund, group life cover, employee wellness programmes, and a monthly stipend for a dedicated Internet line.
Commenting on Amazon’s recruitment drive, Ebrahim Patel, minister of trade, industry and competition, says: “We welcome the decision by Amazon to locate more of its global services in SA.
“The business process services sector has grown fast, drawing on the skills and talent of young South Africans and a stable infrastructure. The sector has been able to provide world-class support to clients, both locally and internationally.
“The economy will increasingly shift to more productive services and digital technologies, which can provide significant opportunities for young people. The COVID-19 pandemic is accelerating the digital transition of work, and this decision by Amazon to locate these jobs in SA shows our ability to offer a good value-proposition.
“Government has focused part of our incentive programme on the industry, and with our talent, strong ICT infrastructure and digital capabilities, we aim to secure thousands more jobs like these in years to come."
The Amazon recruitment drive comes as Africa sees a rising demand for data centres, driven by the continent’s growing need to connect to the global data economy and drive socio-economic development, according to analysts.
The continent is witnessing a cloud “land grab”, with multinational companies opening their data centre facilities locally.
Amazon Web Services, which first established a presence in Cape Town, setting up a Development Centre in 2004, recently announced the opening of the AWS Africa (Cape Town) Region.
Those interested in joining Amazon’s customer service team can view open positions on the company’s Web site, filtering by location and typing ‘South Africa’ to view the open positions.
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