Hiring for new positions at Tesla Motors’ new Gigafactory is powerfully accelerating.
“In 2017, Panasonic will be hiring between 2000-3000 employees for its battery manufacturing operations for Tesla at the Gigafactory,” according to a Facebook post by Panasonic Energy of North America (PENA). Production at the Gigafactory in the Tahoe Reno Industrial Center (TRIC), Sparks, Nev., includes cylindrical lithium-ion cells for electric vehicle batteries and other new products based on the use and storage of electrical energy.
Truckee Meadows Community College has partnered with Panasonic to develop an accelerated training program that prepares job candidates with skills desired by the company. It’s called the Panasonic Preferred Pathway (P3) program. “The P3 program is flexible to fit into people’s schedules, and will fast track those taking the program with the exact skills Panasonic is looking for to fill needs in this fast-growing industry,” said J. Kyle Dalpe, Ph.D., interim dean, Technical Sciences Division.
Among the jobs now posted on the PanasonicNV.com website are Material Handler and Production Operator. There will be many jobs like this opening, Dalpe added.
Material Handler (M1)
The Panasonic Material Handler (M1) credential is a four-credit series including subjects of safety, material handling equipment, warehouse concepts, and Total Quality Management. Job responsibilities of material handlers may include equipment maintenance checks, measuring with tools such as microscopes and micrometers, and collaborating with other members of the production team.
Production Operator (M2)
The M2 coursework is directed to electrical theory, AC and DC motors and generators, Logic Controls and mechanical controls, electromechanical and solid-state devices, circuits, and industrial safety. Coursework also covers LEAN Manufacturing and process control, a discipline that addresses keeping things like temperature and output within a desired range.
Scholarships and Grants
The estimated cost for the M1 program is $450, and for M2 the estimated cost is $700. Funding help may be available for qualified students, Dalpe said.
“Panasonic is looking for qualified job candidates with preferred skills, and TMCC is prepared to help northern Nevadans learn these skills,” he said. For more information about the TMCC Panasonic Preferred Pathway (P3) program, please contact TMCC’s Technical Sciences Division at 775-856-5300, or visit the P3 Web page.
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