Volkswagen on Friday graduated its latest group of Chattanooga apprentices and the first to learn within the new technology underpinning its assembly of electric vehicles which started three weeks ago.
"Your skills are indispensable for ramping up the ID.4 (electric SUV)," said Burkhard Ulrich, the plant's senior vice president of human resources, at a ceremony marking the 11 graduates' completion of the Volkswagen Academy's Robotronics Program.
He said all of the 11 were offered jobs at the plant after finishing two years of study that included paid on-the-job training. The workers studied robotic technologies, cyber-physical systems and troubleshooting and maintenance of the sophisticated equipment used to produce vehicles at the 4,500-person plant.
Marko Burdeinyi, who was valedictorian of the class, said the group went through a lot of challenges together.
But the hard work, he said at the ceremony, "will have a massive impact on our lives."
Chris Glover, VW Chattanooga's president and chief executive, said in an interview that the plant is about halfway through hiring more than 1,000 employees to meet the demand for the ID.4 and the conventional powered Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport SUVs.
Glover said plans are on track to start a third shift in October at the sprawling factory at Enterprise South industrial park in Tyner.
Amid the hiring effort, VW has received more than 8,000 applications for the jobs, he said.
Charita Allen, director of workforce development for the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development, told the graduates and their families that companies such as Volkswagen bring money into the state's economy.
"You're helping to grow Tennessee's economy by working here," she said. "We're excited about the growth in electric vehicle manufacturing in Tennessee."
Dr. Rebecca Ashford, president of Chattanooga State Community College, said the learning doesn't stop for the graduates.
"Volkswagen is going through an enormous transformation," she said. "I'm sure the transformation won't stop when electric vehicles are in full force."
Ashford, whose college collaborates with VW in the operation of the academy, said technology will continue to change.
"Embrace the change," she said, adding graduates should "approach the work and every area of life from a place of gratitude."
Volkswagen invested $800 million to ready the factory to produce EVs alongside its Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport, including constructing a battery pack assembly shop.
According to VW, the ID.4 is the automaker's most popular all-electric model, with 190,000 units made overseas and delivered to customers globally since its launch in 2021.
Initially, the American-assembled ID.4 is available in either rear-wheel- or all-wheel-drive 82kWh battery form. In addition, a rear-wheel-drive version with a 62kWh battery will go into production later in 2022 with a lower price, according to Volkswagen.
Contact Mike Pare at mpare@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6318. Follow him on Twitter @MikePareTFP.