DURBAN - Amazon has announced the creation of 3000 new virtual jobs in Customer Service in South Africa this year.
These roles will range from customer service associates to technical experts who will work virtually and provide 24/7 support to Amazon customers in North America and Europe. The addition of 3000 permanent and seasonal full-time positions will bring the total permanent workforce in South Africa to 7000.
"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," said Andrew Raichlin, Director of Amazon Customer Service in South Africa.
Raichlin added, "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".
Ebrahim Patel, the Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition said, "We welcome the decision by Amazon to locate more of its global services in South Africa. 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 South Africa 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," added Patel.
Candidates interested in applying must meet the following requirements:
1. Matric/Grade 12/NQF Level 4 qualification or higher,
2. Excellent command of English and be a South African Citizen.
The technical positions will support customer inquiries on devices, digital and Alexa. These roles will require candidates to translate technical information and provide instructions to help Amazon customers trouble shoot 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.
Amazon will also offer Customer Service employees interested in pursuing opportunities outside of Amazon, the opportunity and financial support to upskill themselves through an initiative called Career Choice.
Earlier this year Amazo subsidiary Amazon Web Services (AWS) has announced that Cape Town would be AWS Africa's first region.
With the launch in the Cape Town region, AWS now spans 73 Availability Zones within 23 geographic regions around the world, and has announced plans for 12 more Availability Zones.
Now, developers, startups, and enterprises, as well as government, education, and non-profit organisations can run their applications and serve end-users in Africa with even lower latency and leverage advanced AWS technologies to drive innovation.