In a celebration filled with water-sprays and fanfare, VW declared “Volkswagan Academy” ready for business.Hundreds of new employees in VW blue and white marked the milestone Friday in which the $40 million world class training center was opened -- a training center that involves the cooperation of Tennessee Technological University.
The center is one of the first major buildings to be finished on the VW campus and is cited as a model for future factories. The 163,000 square foot facility is “proof that Tennessee is competitive on a global scale,” according to CEO Stefan Jacoby.
The training center will offer hands-on training on the robots that fill the production facility as well as other aspects of teamwork and lean manufacturing.
With about 1,3000 employees expected to be hired by the end of the year, some 750 employees will be the first to enjoy the new facility and learning that it offers.
The facility cost $40 million and houses 19 classrooms with 24 employees. The academic centers will include machining, welding, electricity lab apprenticeships, automation training on robotics, controllers, programmable logic controllers, paint booth, quality, diagnostic skills as well as lean manufacturing concepts in production system labs that teach fundamental skills.
VW is working closely with Chattanooga State Community College, UT Chattanooga and Tennessee Technological University.
This investment is evidence that the Chattanooga plant is at the heart of what VW calls the “American Strategy,” calling for 1 million vehicles by 2018.
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