Volkswagen is ramping up work force readiness for its Chattanooga plant as the automaker's training academy becomes the first building on the $1 billion campus to near completion.
"Now we're starting to see activity related to training," said Steve Leach, the city's public works administrator.
A half-million-dollar audio-visual system on Tuesday was the latest equipment contract OK'ed for the $40 million training center.
City Engineer Bill Payne told the city's Industrial Development Board the system will be installed in the conference center portion of the academy that stands adjacent to the main assembly facilities.
"It will be for training large groups, other special meetings and staff," Mr. Payne said.
A Nashville firm, Technical Innovation, was awarded a $516,000 contract for the equipment.
VW already is training some workers in the training center while workers complete the structure, which is slated for readiness by mid-spring.
Jeff Olingy, Chattanooga State's vice president for economic and community development, said the college has begun training.
"We're very much integrated into their activities and feel like it's very effective," he said.
Mr. Olingy said the training staff involves mostly CSTCC employees, but also includes VW personnel and representatives of equipment suppliers.
Ted Mills, the development board's chairman, said it's promising to see the first VW plant workers receive training.
VW TRAINING* Volkswagen's 163,000-square-foot training center is slated to be complete mid-spring.* The state has agreed to commit $24 million to job training based on 2,000 workers VW has said it will hire, according to a memorandum of understanding between the state and VW.* The state is to provide on-the-job training for qualified workers amounting to 50 percent of their wages. That cost is estimated at $3.4 million.* Training for nonproduction positions will qualify for another $2,500 each.
hiring hits 350
VW has hired more than 350 people so far, including the first production workers. The company expects to hire more than 2,000 people.
The automaker is targeting an early 2011 startup of its assembly plant that will make a new midsize sedan.
Mr. Leach said a new parkway from Interstate 75 to the training center is expected to be ready this spring.
The state is paying the cost of the training center as part of the estimated $577 million incentive package to woo VW to Chattanooga.