Every day, thousands of people go to work at the General Motors manufacturing facility in Spring Hill. The plant currently produces the Chevrolet Equinox, as well as a number of other automotive parts, including 4-cylinder engines.
It takes a lot of coordination, skill and training to keep everything running smoothly inside the massive, 6.9 million square foot building.
And that is something about 20 students from across Maury County got a whole new appreciation for thanks to the inaugural GM Academy summer camp held at the Spring Hill plant in June. The two-day camp was made possible by a partnership between the GM Spring Hill Manufacturing team and the South Central Tennessee Workforce Alliance.
The students experienced life on the line, building a wooden car on an assembly line designed for training purposes.
Aside from being fun, the goal of the camp was to show students what it’s like working in the manufacturing sector and outline other career paths at a facility like GM, including engineering and administrative positions.
“We have a growing need for skilled workers in manufacturing, and camps like the GM Manufacturing Camp introduces young people to the outstanding opportunities to learn, work, and live in Tennessee,” Jan McKeel, Executive Director of the South Central Tennessee Workforce Alliance, said.
The number of manufacturing jobs in Tennessee continues to grow. From May 2014 to May 2015, we added 6,600 new manufacturing jobs. Those numbers put Tennessee 2nd in the Southeast and 7th in the nation for growth.
Going back further, since 2011, manufacturing employment has grown by over 9%.
“Our goal is to sponsor more of these camps, and to increase resulting internships for students in manufacturing occupations,” McKeel added.
The hope is with more exposure and hands on experiences like the GM Academy, Tennessee students will choose a career path that embraces the opportunities that a career in the manufacturing industry can offer.
– See more at: www.tnecd.com/gm-academy
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