The Amazon fulfillment center in Fall River is finally a done deal.
Negotiations to lure the giant online retailer to the city began back in 2014. Almost a year and a half later, the 1.2-million-square-foot fulfillment center on the Fall River-Freetown line is nearing completion, and should open by late September.
Amazon representatives hosted information sessions for prospective applicants. Paul Vigeant, Vice President for Workforce Development at Bristol Community College, says Amazon wants to fill 500 Fulfillment Associate positions. They'll handle larger-ticket items like refrigerators, kayaks, and televisions.
"I call Amazon, or I go online and I order something and two days later it appears on my porch," he said. "So it's the person who actually retrieves that order and fulfills it for the customer."
Most of the positions will pay an average of $35,000 a year. Vigeant says the project will boost the Fall River economy.
"It puts Fall River on the map for national companies," he said. "When a place like Amazon selects a location like Fall River, it's a wake-up call for everyone else who says, 'what's going on down there?'"
Job-seekers can apply online on July 22nd and 23rd. The Fall River Career Center and other local employment counselors will offer assistance during the application process.