From seasonal associates to leaders: two Amazon career growth stories

As Amazon announces its seasonal hiring for 2025, two operations leaders share how their Amazon journeys began with temporary roles and evolved into fulfilling careers.

When Amazon announces seasonal hiring initiatives, like the 7,000 positions recently opened across Canada for the 2025 holiday season, it's not just about temporary jobs—it's about potential career starting points. For Cassandra Radovich, General Manager at YHM1 in Hamilton, and Garrett Shaw, Senior Operations Manager at YVR3 in Vancouver, seasonal positions were the first steps in what would become transformative career journeys.

After pivoting from the non-profit sector, Garrett Shaw joined Amazon as a seasonal associate in 2015.

When YVR3 opened in 2015, located only a short 10-minute walk from Garrett’s New Westminster home, he seized the opportunity to be hired full-time to be part of the fledgling site’s launch team.

"I was at YVR3 on day one, there was no racking, no floor tape, not even Wi-Fi," he recalls. "Watching the facility evolve from an empty space to fully operational was an incredible learning experience."

Garrett's career first advanced through Amazon's learning organization, progressing from seasonal Trainer to Learning Manager. "That's where I discovered my first leadership principle: passion for the growth and development of others," he explains. "Helping others succeed became the foundation of my leadership philosophy."

When opportunity knocked once again, Garrett pivoted to operations, transforming the customer returns department from a small day shift into the building's largest department with full night operations. Now, after nearly a decade, he serves as the Senior Operations Manager, overseeing outbound, inbound, and customer returns.

"I've dedicated almost a quarter of my life to Amazon at YVR3," Garrett reflects. "After a decade, I still find excitement and purpose in the work we do."

In 2014, Cassandra Radovich was a student at the University of Guelph looking for flexible work. What she thought would be a seasonal role at a nearby Amazon fulfilment centre turned out to be the opportunity of a lifetime.

"I was just looking for a way to earn money while balancing my studies," Cassandra Radovich recalls. "I had no idea that my seasonal job would shape my entire career path."

While completing her degree in Environmental Governance, Cassandra moved through various roles in Amazon’s local fulfilment network, gaining experience and building a reputation for leadership and problem-solving. "What kept me at Amazon was seeing that growth opportunities weren't just theoretical—they were happening all around me," she explains. "I watched colleagues advance from entry-level positions to leadership roles, and I realized this was a place where potential for growth was truly endless.”

Today, as General Manager of the 855,000 square foot YHM1 fulfilment centre in Hamilton, Ontario, Cassandra leads a team of thousands of employees who process thousands of customer packages daily. Her journey from seasonal associate to GM represents Amazon's commitment to developing talent from within.

"When I talk to new seasonal hires, I tell them to look beyond the immediate job description," Cassandra says. "Amazon has multiple career paths available—operations, technical roles, corporate positions—and the company invests in helping you find the right fit for your skills and interests."