ONLINE retailer Amazon is to offer one-off bonuses of up to £3,000 to attract staff.

The online giant is hiring for 20,000 positions across its UK network in the run up to the festive season.

Jobs are being advertised on the night shift in the Deeside warehouse with a signing bonus of £1,500 for those taking on the roles of pickers before November 6.

A similar offer is advertised at Liverpool, with a £1,500 bonus for those starting before October 30.

Amazon first offered a £1,000 signing-on bonus to recruit permanent staff in some regions in August.

Pay for the temporary roles starts at a minimum of £10 per hour, rising to £11.10 in some parts of the UK.

Other firms have voiced fears of staff shortages in the run up to Christmas, with job vacancies in Wales and other parts of the UK at a record high.

Meanwhile, more than 400 Amazon employees are training for new careers as truck drivers, with the course becoming the most popular at the online giant.

The first newly qualified drivers will be available for work in the UK later this month.

Amazon reported huge interest among its employees in HGV driver training from its so-called Career Choice programme.

Since May, more than 400 employees from Amazon’s network of fulfilment centres, sort centres and delivery stations have started the company-funded truck driver training.

In May, Amazon announced that it is investing £10 million over three years in Career Choice to train up to 5,000 employees in new skills.

Amazon’s vice president of UK operations, Jonathan Gal, said: “We’re delighted to be able to support more than 400 of our employees to achieve their ambition to become HGV drivers through our Career Choice programme and play a part in helping to boost the haulage industry.

“We’re proud of the frontline roles we offer across Amazon, and we also know that they will be a stepping stone for some in their career journey.