Volkswagen, Chattanooga State Plan Significant Hiring This Year

About 100 people now work for Volkswagen in Chattanooga, many at their Chestnut Tower office space.

Come fall, when the buildings at the plant become weather tight, the number of Chattanooga V-W employees will more than triple.  April Wortham, VW Community Relations Specialist, says "while its certainly beneficial to have previous automotive experience it is definitely not necessary for a majority of the positions that we'll be hiring here in Chattanooga."

Despite word that General Motors will idle its plant in Spring Hill, Volkswagen intends to hire locally as much as possible.  "We looked very closely at the local workforce and the availability of the workforce and skills already here, so we feel like we already have what we need here to have a strong workforce," says Wortham.

Hiring local not only gives VW more clout in the community, it enables the company to mold its own workforce.  Those doing some of that molding will be from Chattanooga State, a partner in Volkswagen's Training Academy.  Jim Catanzaro, Chatt State President, says "we hope that the building will be complete by the first quarter of next year and will be fully operational soon thereafter."

Chattanooga State also plans to ramp up employment over the next 60 to 90 days.  While a specific number of instructors to be hired remains unknown, Catanzaro says it will be significant.  "We are hiring additional employees, right now we're in the process of hiring a director for the training center and soon after that we'll be hiring instructors."

Catanzaro says the Training Academy will also work with Volkswagen suppliers and other manufacturers, keeping Chatt State busy after the plant opens.

The only way to get a job at Volkswagen is to submit your information on their Career Center website.

You can find an easy link right here.