Dozens gather to find out about VW jobs

As rain trickled down outside, several dozen curious people gathered Tuesday evening at Orchard Knob Baptist Church on East Third Street to find out more about what they’ll need to get hired at Chattanooga’s new Volkswagen plant.

Mario Duarte, Volkswagen’s assistant manager of human resources, staffing and planning here, told the crowd that factors such as age and experience won’t make or break applicants.

“If you go there and work very hard on that hands-on test, and you like it, and you pass the minimum criteria, if you’re willing to work rotating shifts, and you’re willing to work overtime, that’s what we’re looking for,” he said. “If you’re just willing, those are our requirements.”

Mr. Duarte and other Volkswagen officials took the crowd through the lengthy process of applying at Volkswagen and took questions from audience members. He said applicants would be required to have a high school diploma or a GED and be at least 18 years old.

Volkswagen began taking online applications Monday for production jobs at the plant. The automaker began taking applications for more skilled maintenance jobs, which require some work with robots and other machinery, in September.

Several audience members, such as William Harris, who said he has a background in information technology, asked whether professional and administrative jobs would be available in addition to production jobs.

Gary Booth, VW’s Chattanooga training and development manager, said they would, but people would be applying for them “from all over the place.”

“I would be on that Web site at least once a week,” he said.

Volkswagen has set up a Web site, vwjobschattanooga.com, to take online job applications.

VW officials have said they expect about 100,000 applications for about 1,600 jobs at the plant, which will begin production in 2011.

Another audience member, Joshua Burney, asked whether age would play a role in hiring.

Mr. Duarte answered, “Age isn’t going to be any consideration.”

Speakers from the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce and Chattanooga State Community College also spoke at the meeting, which was organized by Hamilton County Commissioner Warren Mackey.

“I think it’s important to know what’s coming so we can prepare for it,” Dr. Mackey told the crowd.

Jeff Olingy, Chattanooga State’s vice president for economic and community development, laid out some of the skills applicants will need to stand above the pack: critical reasoning, problem-solving skills and the ability to work as a team.

“It’s what to do with the information, not just how to get the information,” he said.

Chattanooga State will train new Volkswagen employees at the “VW Academy” on the plant site.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Steps to getting a job at Volkswagen’s Chattanooga plant:

* Online application

* Pre-screening

* Day-long, on-site testing assessment, including computer-based testing, physical manufacturing simulation, improvement exercises and a realistic job preview

* Interview

Source: Volkswagen