Amazon India to hire ex-servicemen, their spouses

Hyderabad: Amazon India, a part of global e-tailer major Amazon, has rolled out an exclusive employment initiative for military veterans as the new programme aims at providing jobs to ex-servicemen and their spouses at its fulfilment, sort and delivery centres across the country.

Amazon India in partnership with the Director-General of Resettlement and the Army Welfare Placement Organisation will implement this programme.

Industry observers are welcoming the latest decision by Amazon India to hire ex-service men, while voicing caution that it shouldn’t be a loss for the unemployed youth in the count. Amazon globally hired 1,75,000 ex-service men and their spouses as part of the programme.

Amazon India has 50 fulfilment and 200 delivery centers across the country. However, it

Didn’t reveal how many sort centers it has at its fulfilment and delivery centers.

A spokesperson at Amazon India in a statement said: “As a policy, we don’t disclose how many people are cumulatively employed at the respective centers in the Indian sub-continent. The employment at the centres, most of them on contract basis, varies as more are hired at peak sales season around festivals and other occasions when special sales are held with discounts and compliments.”

In defence of employing ex-servicemen, the company said that it was committed to diverse and inclusive hiring, creating opportunities for diverse individuals to realise their potentials.

“The novel programme creates continued job opportunity for military families, which respect principles and work ethics. Over the years, we have hired military veterans for various roles spanning transportation, customer fulfilment, facilities management and security operations to name a few,” further said Amazon India in the statement.

Company’s vice-president Akhil Saxena said the company will hire ex-service men from the Air Force, Navy and police families in the future.

“Thousands of personnel retire from the army every year. They are well-trained, self-motivated and have served the country over the years with a result-oriented culture. We find Amazon a match for them to work,” the official said in the statement.

Amazon Programme Manager Shivani Bhatia further added that defence personnel have integrity, discipline, motivation, flexibility and adaptability. They are also on time and have team management skills.

An e-commerce market analyst, however, said the company should hire more youth in their 20s and 30s given that unemployment rate is at a 45-year peak and job opportunities are scarce due to economic slowdown.