FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) – If amazon takes 1,000 workers, what does this mean for the rest of the area workforce?
According to the Director of Communications of Northeast Indiana Works, Amazon coming to town is a great thing for the local economy because it shows our region’s growth.
“This is a feather in the region’s hat,” said Rick Farrant, director of communications of Northeast Indiana Works.
Amazon is projected to bring 1,000 new jobs to Fort Wayne with a pay of at least $15 per hour.
On multiple occasions area officials and Governor Eric Holcomb have stated that there isn’t a shortage of jobs in the Hoosier State, just a shortage of workers. Despite the pandemic, northeast Indiana still had more than 13,000 jobs on the market.
“There are lots of jobs, anybody who wants to work, can work,” Farrant said. “So it is a very challenging time for employers in the region to fulfill their positions. My hope is that this Amazon announcement will lead some people who have been sitting on the sidelines through the pandemic, back to the workforce and I think that is a distinct possibility.”
Amazon is expected to pay at least $15 for employees. On WANE 15’s Facebook page, many viewers do not believe this is a livable wage, but is it competitive?
“I think it probably sits right in the middle for our region for jobs of that type,” Farrant said. “We have similar jobs that pay less and we have some jobs that pay more. I think we will see as we move along with this continuum of trying to fill open positions, we will see more and more employers raise wages.”
Amazon’s fulfillment center is expected to open 2022, on the land owned by the city’s Redevelopment Commission along U.S. 30.
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