Tesla, ACC Unveil START Manufacturing Training Facilities
The Tesla logo is seen outside of their showroom in Washington, DC, on August 8, 2018. - Tesla's board of directors said Wednesday it will evaluate chief executive Elon Musk's proposal to take the electric car maker private. After Musk last week raised the idea as a better solution for Tesla's long-term growth, directors met "several times" and are "taking the appropriate next steps to evaluate this," the board said in a brief statement issued before the stock market opened. SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images

Tesla and Austin Community College has officially launched a new Tesla START Manufacturing training facility at ACC's Riverside campus, with Austin Mayor Steve Adler present in the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

The new training facilities aim to coach students for a possible career at Tesla's manufacturing facilities, according to a KVUE News report.

The electric vehicle company recently said that it was going to move its headquarters to Austin after starting construction on a new factory in the area last year.

The training program between ACC and Tesla includes a 14-week program that would allow students to learn about advanced technologies, such as robotics and machine control systems.

ACC chancellor Richard Rhodes said that Tesla believes strongly in collaboration, adding that they build connections that make college affordable while linking students directly with employees.

The class started in August with new classes starting every four to six weeks, according to a Fox 7 News report.

Tesla START Manufacturing Training Facilities

Around 60 students are currently enrolled in the program, with the program claiming that it provides students with skills needed for "a successful career" with Tesla.

START student Jacquan Parker said that he had come out of the military and does a lot of hands-on work, adding that the training program was a good step in the right direction of something he likes to do.

Mayor Adler touted the program as a solution to the city's affordability crisis, noting that it is a $20 billion part of the economy.

The Austin mayor noted that the opportunity to have clean, advanced manufacturing in the city is critical, as well as to saving its people.

Adler said that Austin has been going so well in so many ways, citing low unemployment and a lot of "fire in the economy," according to a CBS Austin News report.

However, he also acknowledged that the cost of housing was driven up by the coming of the Big Tech to their town.

Adler noted that it can be done through subsidies with housing, as well as to help people make more money.

Susan Horton, the president of the Austin Board of Realtors, said that the newcomers in Austin have created a boost in the housing market. Horton added that she looks for it to stay that way.

Horton noted that fast-tracking the city's permitting process would speed up construction and get more homes on the market faster.

Meanwhile, ACC said in a statement that it cannot confirm salaries for Tesla employees, but that they can share regional job information for similar positions.

ACC noted in their statement that manufacturing production technicians earn an average hourly wage of $31.86 based on data analysis of traditional and real-time labor market information.

An ACC spokesperson said that the cost of the Tesla training facility at the ACC campus including the specialized training equipment was entirely covered by Tesla and through state grant dollars awarded to ACC from the Texas Workforce Commission.

The spokesperson said that the grant dollars have supported the costs of tuition for many of the Tesla students to date.

Meanwhile, students are paid Tesla employees while they complete the program. They are eligible for full-time positions after graduation.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by Mary Webber

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