- Amazon officially opened their 630,000 square-foot facility in Northeast Tallahassee.
- The new facility will bring over 1,000 jobs to the area and add $451 million to the local economy.
- TCC, FAMU and FSU have parterned with Amazon for their Career Choice Program, which pays tuition for hourly full and part-time employees.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
The new Amazon Facility has opened its doors in the Capital city.
The new fulfillment center will bring over 1,000 jobs.
The 630,000 square-foot facility has the capacity to send out up to one million packages a day.
Something Big Bend native and general manager of the fulfillment center Kimberly Price said will enhance our community.
"Our community inside the facility and being able to make such an impact on the Tallahassee area is what I get excited about," Price said.
Amazon hired the Wakulla County native as General Manager.
Price said she is excited to operate a facility that will add economic impact to our community.
"When I had the opportunity to launch this building and come back home, I jumped at the chance," Price said.
The Wakulla County local is in charge at the fulfillment center, a place where up to one million Amazon packages are processed and shipped.
The Office of Economic Vitality expects Amazon to bring in $451 million for Tallahassee.
County Commissioner Brian Welch said that's great for his district in the northeast.
"This is the largest private sector economic development ever in Leon County," Welch said.
Not only is the facility going to bring in more money, it will also help employees get a degree.
Amazon previously announced a partnership with FSU, FAMU and TCC for their Career Choice program.
It pays tuition for hourly full and part-time employees.
Director of Career Choice Tammy Thieman said the collaboration is a testament to the quality of schools in our community.
"It's really focused on providing educational opportunities so people can achieve career success," Thieman said. "We believe that at Amazon that everybody that comes to work with us should be able to build a career."
Amazon and the City of Tallahassee are also working together to get people to and from work.
Mayor John Dailey said conversations are underway about Star Metro routes.
"I think it's really important to identify the places in town people work so we can maximize routes and new routes instead of just building new routes and seeing if they work out that way," Dailey said.
Giving back to the community through programs like Career Choice motivates Price to do well for Tallahassee.
"We are such a large company and we have the responsibility to do that as well," Price said. "Now that I am able to do it in the place that I am from, that's really special."
Jobs at the facility open up every couple weeks, so be sure to check Amazon.jobs for the latest positions available.
