Dive Brief:

• Amazon will hire 50,000 new workers during a series of job fairs held nationwide next week, The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reports.
• It's part of the company's larger commitment to create 100,000 new positions within an 18-month time frame that began in January. According to WSJ, many of those jobs offered next week will include full-time benefits. The positions will be offered on the spot at events located in 10 cities that house Amazon shipping sites, per the Associated Press.
• Those hired will have access to a comprehensive benefits package, according to reports, including health and disability insurance, retirement savings plans and company stock.

Dive Insight:

Add recruiting to the list of industries disrupted by Jeff Bezos. The time seems ripe for the ecommerce giant to take a deeper plunge into the jobs market, given that retail jobs have plummeted in the past year due to the closure of brick-and-mortar storefronts nationwide. At the same time, various industries have been struggling to catch up on hiring the talent they need. Attempting to hire that many employees at once points to Amazon's confidence on their position in the job market.

What differentiates this announcement, aside from the six-figure goal to which it contributes, is Amazon's insistence on comprehensive benefits offerings. That's simply not par for the course in an industry that has historically relied on low-paid, part-time workers — especially during the holidays. And like all employees in the supply chain industry, Amazon's latest additions will still have to grapple with inadequate skill sets and the threat of automation.

But it's not just sheer numbers that have surprised recruiters about Amazon's approach to hiring and retention in the past year. It's also the company's efforts to hire a multi-generational workforce, in which older workers work with cutting edge cloud technologies, as well as its emphasis on workforce development through initiatives like the 'Pivot' program.

Far from perfect, the cardboard box upstart still has to iron out apparent issues with its contractor training and sick leave policies. Time will tell whether Amazon's efforts to bring high quality work opportunity to a stagnant labor market succeed.