GLENDALE, Kentucky — An investment to make Kentucky a future hub for electronic battery production has reached another milestone.
Gov. Andy Beshear joined city officials as they cut the ribbon on the new Elizabethtown Community and Technical College Training Center at BlueOval SK Battery Park Wednesday.
The 42,000 square foot facility is located in Hardin County.
Within the next few weeks, the first round of college students will start their futures in the industry with the goal of bringing their skills to the manufacturing plant set to open next year.
"The operators will actually be able to come in and function or either use those specific equipment all the way up to, for example, controls engineering," Michael Adams, BlueOval SK CEO, said. "So we'll have the controllers in there where our technicians can come in and diagnose a problem and actually program."
The center had multiple classrooms ready to welcome and train future operators, technicians and engineers.
“Thanks to great Team Kentucky partners like Ford and SK On, we’re the electric vehicle battery capital of the United States, and I want to thank them for betting on Kentucky and our world-class workforce,” Beshear said. “I also want to thank ECTC and Trace Creek Construction for getting this center ready ahead of schedule. It is an exciting time to be a Kentuckian – this summer we’re going to start preparing folks for new jobs at BlueOval SK – a park that is going to benefit Kentucky families for generations to come.”
This investment from Ford Motor Company and BlueOval SK is becoming a reality with the help of $25 million from the state.
Beshear said BlueOval SK has already hired 700 employees in Kentucky at all experience levels. Once the plant opens, they are projected to create a total of 5,000 jobs.
The training center will start onboarding classes in June.
"A huge push forward for Kentucky to become the electric vehicle battery production capital of the United States of America," Beshear said.
The primary curriculum for the training facility will support battery knowledge, roles and skills. BlueOval SK will train employees in SK On’s proprietary technical, quality and manufacturing processes in the ECTC BlueOval SK Training Center’s virtual reality labs, industrial maintenance lab, work simulation lab and ergonomics techniques classrooms.
“The new ECTC BlueOval SK Training Center provides another opportunity for Kentuckians to begin working toward a rewarding, life-long career,” Adams said. “Students here will be able to take the first step in learning to build the batteries of the future.”
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