UPS to hire many as distribution center prepares to open in Port of Tacoma

TACOMA, Wash. — UPS is getting ready to make a lot of new hires as a massive new distribution center in the Port of Tacoma prepares to open. At 770,000 square feet, the new center will hold a lot of packages and employ a lot of people.

“These are great jobs for anybody who wants to get into the transportation, warehousing and logistics sector,” said Workforce Central CEO Linda Nguyen. Nguyen said similar jobs often come with good pay.

“The pay grade for these jobs can range from $30,000 a year all the way to beyond $100,000 a year,” Nguyen said. UPS has not made potential salaries for new hires public at this time.

Transportation and warehousing is big business in Pierce County. According to Workforce Central, the fields employ 12,000 people, making up 14% of Washington's statewide workforce in the industry. The fields are expected to grow at a rate of 1.3% annually through 2023.

UPS is holding a hiring event at the center Saturday and another in Tacoma on October 4th, looking for around 200 hundred people to hire in time for the upcoming holiday season. More jobs are on the way.

“UPS adding another 800 to 1,200 jobs in the Tacoma area is just continuing that growth of our employment sector,” said Ricardo Noguera, director of the city’s Economic Development Council.

Noguera said the city and county's dominance in transportation is growing fast.

"You’re going to see more companies coming in, a few that I can’t even share right now. There’s 3 million square feet of industrial logistic space under construction as we speak,” Noguera said.

The UPS hiring event takes place Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the company’s Port of Tacoma facility, located at 5101 12th Street East.

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