PARCEL delivery giant DPD is creating 6000 new jobs and opening more depots in response to the “unprecedented” increase in online shopping caused by the coronavirus crisis.
The posts, including drivers, warehouse staff, managers and mechanics, will be spread across the UK, with most of the recruitment in place before October – ahead of Black Friday and the Christmas peak.
Most of the jobs are full-time, with drivers having the option of an Owner Driver Franchise, which is a self-employed contract the company has run for more than 20 years.
DPD said even before lockdown restrictions were announced in March, demand for its delivery service had risen significantly as people started increasing their reliance on online shopping.
The trend has continued and DPD is forecasting the growth to continue this year, despite shops re-opening.
The company announced it will invest £200 million this year to expand its next-day parcel capacity, including £100m on vehicles, £60m on 15 new regional depots, and the remainder on technology.
Chief executive Dwain McDonald said: “As a company, we’ve been dealing with rapid growth and ongoing investment cycles for a long time, but this is a very significant moment.
“I do think the high street will bounce back from where things are now, but we have to base our modelling on our conversations with retailers and their projections.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here