CHATTANOOGA, TN (WDEF) — The Volkswagen Academy made history this Summer. They graduated their first ever class of Automotive Systems Technology students, alongside their sixth cohort of manufacturing specialists. What they learned is a far-reaching example of “What’s Right With Our Schools.”
Sam Dean is the Technical Training Supervisor at Volkswagen Academy.
He explains, ” The very first automotive Sister’s technology class is graduating today. We started this program two years ago. We found a need with electric vehicles. With internal combustion motors, a lot of people worked with that for many years. When you start walking down the line of electric vehicles, it’s harder to find it. So, the program was developed to find that talent, to hone that talent and to provide that talent into the workforce, so that they can help build those vehicles, more efficiently, the first time around.
State Senator Bo Watson was on the hand for the graduation.
He proclaimed, “Thank you, on behalf of your fellow over 7 million Tennesseans. Your commitment today, your commitment to our economy is helping move the state of Tennessee forward.”
Dean added, “So, this is the first class to graduate with an electric vehicle engineering technologies AAS degree from Chattanooga State. The first in Tennessee, from what I hear.”
Valedictorian of that class Troy Leach said, “These past two years have been quite a journey, as all of us are well aware. I think most of us weren’t quite sure what we were getting into the first day.”
Dean explains, “When you start the program the first eight months are in-paid, and that’s a big strain on people. It’s also all done in the classroom here on site. Chattanooga State sends their professors over to have a foresight to understand where you are going. That’s hard even for an older adult. It’s hard to see past that first, first wave of struggle, to understand that that is where the automobile system is going, to understand that is where the automobile industry will seek in the future. These group of people had a great future looking outlook. They knew what it was about. They knew how to get there, and they executed it.”
Graduate Travis Burt says, “My degree, Electric Vehicle Engineering.”
He continued, “I’ve done the high school programs. I’ve been here for four years. Two years in high school, college or working on the floor experience. Now, I start my career phase, work my way up one of the biggest companies in the world.”
Fellow graduate Mason Daugherty said, “I feel like it’s really important to participate in a program like this. You can develop skills over time. You learn. You meet new people. You can learn a valuable skill trade that you can take in everyday life. This company also offers a really good job; really good positions later on in your life; opens new doors. And really it, it’s kinda hard to pass up an opportunity when you get to learn something every single day.”
Sam Dean concludes, “People that come through this program, they get to be part of a team. They get to be a part and learn from the team members on the floor that they’ll be working with, and they also get to learn the theory, what it is they are working on. ”
