FISHERSVILLE, Va – Amazon welcomed policymakers, community leaders, and members of the media to a special ribbon cutting event Wednesday at the company’s newest fulfillment center, known as CHO1, in Fishersville, Virginia. The 1 million-square-foot facility is Amazon’s tenth fulfillment center in Virginia, and the Commonwealth’s third Amazon traditional non-sortable Center. At this facility, hundreds of employees work to pick, pack, and ship medium-sized customer items such as patio furniture, outdoor equipment, and rugs.
“Amazon is proud to call Virginia home. Since we launched our operations in Virginia, we’ve grown our workforce to more than 36,000 full- and part-time employees, and that number continues to grow,” said Dean Fullerton, Amazon’s Vice President Global Engineering Services. “Virginia is a great state to do business, and we are proud to continue to invest in the Shenandoah Valley and in the communities where our employees and their families live and work.”
The Fishersville facility launched operations on April 30 and will create 500 jobs with new hires being thoroughly trained and onboarded every day. Amazon will continue to hire in the region as operations and inventory ramp up at CHO1. The facility, and its centralized location, will play a critical role in storing items and fulfilling customer orders in the area and throughout the country.
“It is exciting to see Amazon’s continued growth in Virginia. Amazon is a great partner for the Commonwealth and we appreciate their commitment to accelerating growth in our workforce and our economy.” said Bryan Slater, Virginia’s Secretary of Labor.
Policymakers and community leaders got a behind-the-scenes tour of the processes that employees use on a daily basis to fulfill customer orders. The ribbon cutting ceremony and tour also gave Amazon the chance to thank the community for its ongoing support.
“Augusta County is excited to welcome Amazon as the county’s newest industry. We value the company’s commitment to adding jobs and investment in our local economy and feel fortunate to count Amazon as a long-term partner for economic growth and vitality.” said Timothy Fitzgerald, Augusta County Administrator.
“At Amazon, we are deeply committed to investing in our employees’ long-term success, fostering community engagement, and driving economic development,” said Irfaan Hafeez, Amazon’s Fishersville Fulfillment Center General Manager. “I am very proud to share that this facility will generate 500 new jobs for the Fishersville community. Our valued Amazonians in Virginia enjoy a starting average hourly rate of over $16, comprehensive benefits packages, and a supportive work environment, which includes health, vision, and dental insurance from day one, a 401(k) with a 50 percent company match, generous paid leave, and free mental health resources through our Resources for Living program.”
Amazon also brings its $1.2 billion Upskilling 2025 pledge to the area with the announcement of partnerships with both James Madison University and Blue Ridge Community College. Through the popular “Career Choice” program, the company funds employees’ college tuition, GED programming, or external training and certifications, after just three months of employment.
“Amazon is committed to empowering employees by providing them access to the education and training they need to grow their careers, whether that’s with us or elsewhere,” said Holly Sullivan, Amazon’s Vice President of Worldwide Economic Development and Public Policy. “We’ve been working closely with Blue Ridge Community College and James Madison University to create an active two-way partnership to advance educational opportunities for our employees, while promoting economic mobility in the community. “Amazon has enrolled almost 1,000 participants into the Career Choice Program here in Virginia so far in 2023. Globally, more than 130,000 Amazonians are taking advantage of the free program.
