The student news site of Pleasant Valley High School

Spartan Shield

The student news site of Pleasant Valley High School

Spartan Shield

The student news site of Pleasant Valley High School

Spartan Shield

A behind the scenes look at Christmas packaging

Piles+of+packages+sit+under+the+Christmas+tree+after+being+delivered+UPS+drivers
Photo credit to Ruth Davidson
Piles of packages sit under the Christmas tree after being delivered UPS drivers

Thanksgiving has come and gone, Black Friday has arrived with its consumerism and stellar deals, which Christmas is just around the corner.

With the busiest time of year quickly approaching, businesses around the country are preparing for all the gifts to be bought and shipped. United Parcel Service (UPS) is one of the leading package delivery services and is responsible for much of the magic that happens at Christmastime.

For the upcoming holidays, UPS has said that they are planning to hire 100,000 seasonal employees to help compensate for the increase in packages. Many of the positions being offered are package handlers meaning rivers and driver-helpers. This magnitude of job openings open up an opportunity for permanent employment at UPS after working the seasonal jobs.

Many college students will join UPS and then working their way up in the company because of the career options the company gives them. Commenting on the good pay and opportunities that UPS can offer.

Between Thanksgiving and Christmas, 800 million packages are expected to go through UPS, a 3.5% increase from last year. One could possibly earn $250 could be earned in bonuses for the first year for just showing up to work.

A UPS driver Richard Allen said, “UPS hires a lot more employees during what is called the peak season. As a driver, we hire several more drivers in both the big trucks and as package car drivers. A package car driver has a helper who sits in a jump like seat and runs packages to homes to speed up the process of delivery.”

As teenagers, the students at Pleasant Valley heavily contributes to the heavy flow of packages that UPS receives even in the Quad Cities. 46% of Generation Z, those born in 1995-2016,  contribute to online shopping very heavily.

Freshman Grace Davidson said, “Online shopping is one of my favorite things to do because I am able to look at all the colors, sizes, and patterns, all from my bed. I do not even need to leave.” Many parents will use the convenience of Amazon and online stores to order their Christmas presents; it creates a more time efficient and effective way to do shopping.

Although online shopping is very convenient to teenagers, it creates a heavy flow of packages for companies such as UPS.  With Christmas coming and UPS frantically preparing for the flood of packages, choose your orders carefully.

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Ruth Davidson, Copy Editor
Hi, my name is Ruth Davidson and I am one of this year’s copy editors for the online Spartan Shield! I couldn’t be more excited to be a part of a newspaper that makes a difference in the world. I play the viola in two different orchestras and making music is my favorite thing in the whole world! When I am not practicing my viola, you can find me traveling around the world or spending time with friends and family.
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A behind the scenes look at Christmas packaging