Story Published:
Feb 14, 2010 at 8:19 AM CST
Story Updated:
Feb 14, 2010 at 8:19 AM CST
The first group of production associates hit the floor at Volkswagon in Chattanooga this week. According to the company, each of these first new hires are residents of Hamilton County.
The group of 22 production associates will spend their first three weeks in orientation exercises, learning about VW methods, vehicles and work practices.
Once the plant is operational, these associates will be building the new NMS, working in the paint shop, the body shop and assembly shops of the plant.
Some of the production team members will travel to other Volkswagen manufacturing facilities around the world for first-hand experience.
“The hiring of our first production team members is another important milestone in this project,” said Hans-Herbert Jagla, Executive Vice President of Human Resources for Volkswagen in Chattanooga. “As we have said from the beginning, we prioritize hiring as close to the plant as possible—it just makes good sense,” Jagla said.
The second group of production team members to be hired will begin the process next week and will also be made up 100 percent of residents from Chattanooga and Hamilton County. The process will continue throughout 2010. The team members will be building a new midsize sedan that is currently undergoing initial quality tests.
Before the hiring is complete, Volkswagen Group of America Inc. will invest $1 billion in the local economy for the Chattanooga plant and create 2,000 direct jobs in the region, according to the company.
According to independent studies, the new Volkswagen plant is expected to generate $12 billion in income growth and an additional 9,500 jobs over the life of the project. The Chattanooga plant will build a new midsize sedan specially designed for the North American market.
