Company hiring for 300 VW jobs

Sunday, June 5, 2011

ON THE WEBFor more information or to apply, visit www.aerotektn.com.

A staffing company brought in by Volkswagen to fill 300 contract slots at the automaker's new Chattanooga plant is ready to start hiring.

Aerotek is seeking to immediately fill positions to support production of the 2012 Passat, said Jim Campione, director of client delivery for Aerotek's automotive staffing division.

Aerotek officials have said it plans to complete the hiring by the end of the year. VW now has more than 1,700 workers at the $1 billion plant and plans to have up to 2,500 when the factory is fully operational next year.

Campione has said the starting wage for assembly workers is $12.50 an hour. That compares with starting wages of $14.50 per hour for VW production workers.

Full-time contract employees hired through Aerotek receive benefits, including medical, dental, vision, 401(k) and more, according to the company. Aerotek will set their pay and benefits.

"We look forward to providing high-quality talent from the Chattanooga community to help Volkswagen meet this influx in demand," said Campione.

Hans-Herbert Jagla, VW's executive vice president for human resources in Chattanooga, said the 300 will be part of the plant's variable work force.

"We need the flexibility," he said.

The contract employees will work alongside regular VW employees and will be eligible eventually to join the automaker, Jagla said.

He said VW has a goal of not having to lay off its work force, and using Aerotek will help in that aim.

Jagla said the contract workers will be used throughout the plant, and they'll have to undergo the same standards for selection and training as regular VW employees.

The Passat is expected to go on sale this fall.

Aerotek, headquartered in Hanover, Md., is a provider of technical, professional and industrial staffing services. Aerotek operates a network of more than 200 nonfranchised offices throughout the United States, Canada and Europe.