Volvo, Mercedes creating new generation of S.C. automotive workers

Volvo workers produce the S60 from the automaker’s new plant in Berkeley County.

(Photo/Volvo Cars)

By Liz Segrist, Staff Writer

In the spring of 2015, two global automakers announced plans to invest $1 billion to build manufacturing campuses and produce vehicles in the Lowcountry for the first time, sparking the need for thousands of skilled automotive workers.

Since then, Mercedes-Benz Vans expanded its existing reassembly site in Ladson to build Sprinter vans part-by-part for the U.S. and Canadian markets. Volvo Cars built a new automotive campus near Ridgeville to build the new S60 sedan for North American customers. Both companies began producing vehicles in 2018.

“When I reflect back on that … to have two world-class, luxury car makers and automotive OEMs locate within 20 miles of one another is really unique. … To see this kind of renaissance in advanced manufacturing is pretty amazing,” said Susan Pretulak, ReadySC’s vice president of economic development.

Germany-based Mercedes-Benz Vans and Sweden-based Volvo Cars have rushed since to hire a combined 3,300 workers to begin vehicle production within a region that lacks significant automotive manufacturing experience. Recruiting, vetting, hiring and training workers was crucial to launching operations on schedule.

The state was financially and logistically on the hook to assist with workforce training, per the incentives used to help secure the economic development wins for South Carolina.

The S.C. Commerce Department, the automakers and the S.C. Technical College System — including its ReadySC workforce training division and Trident Technical College in North Charleston — collaborated to launch external training programs. Both companies also train new hires internally. Pretulak said the need to hire thousands of automotive workers at one time, combined with a low unemployment rate and the competition for skilled advanced manufacturing workers, created challenges and required creativity.

“Recruitment of people is a key challenge for any company,” Pretulak said.

The Trident Technical College Workforce Training Center in Summerville houses a new training area for Mercedes-Benz production employees. Workers get hands-on experience with the same equipment used in the plant, including learning to weld and inspecting van bodies for imperfections.

(Photo/Liz Segrist)

Volvo planned to hire 2,000 people initially to build the S60; the company currently employs 1,400 people at its Berkeley County site. Hiring will continue through 2019.

Volvo also plans to hire another 2,000 people, for a total of 4,000, to build the new XC90 in 2022. Hiring for that vehicle’s production has not yet started.

Mercedes-Benz Vans planned to hire 1,300 people to build the new Sprinter vans; the company currently employs around 1,100 people, up from around 130 workers in 2015.

The automaker is hiring for a third shift currently with a goal of employing 1,300 workers by 2020.

“To be successful in running production in a three-shift operation, we have to hire the right people,” said Biljana Jelacic, Mercedes’ head of human resources.

Hands-on experience

As the Lowcountry prepared to become a hub of automotive manufacturing for the first time, thousands of workers had to be hired and trained within a few years. Those workers also needed space to train while Volvo and Mercedes built their manufacturing campuses.

The Trident Technical College Workforce Training Center in Summerville houses training space for area companies.

Trident Tech paid $1 million and the state Commerce Department and S.C. Technical College system both paid $2.5 million to buy the $6 million building, which formerly housed American LaFrance. Trident Technical College currently leases the facility to readySC to run workforce training program for companies.

ReadySC recruits workers to open positions, creates training programs and hires trainers to teach in the center. New hires for Volvo and Mercedes undergo pre-employment screenings, interviews and classroom training at the center. Day and evening classes are offered.

A new training area for future Mercedes production employees recently opened in the center, offering hands-on experience with the same equipment used in the plant.

Welding machines, robots, virtual reality simulation technologies and the body of a Sprinter van sit in the 30,000-square-foot training area. Workers will learn how to perform manual welding, robotic welding and quality inspection of vehicles, among other skills, said Mick Baldwin, a ReadySC project manager.

“They cannot distinguish between what’s here and what’s at the plant. … It’s a direct replication, so when they hit the plant floor, they have the skills, the familiarity and the qualifications so they can begin immediately,” Baldwin said.

Mark Allen, the interim CEO of Mercedes-Benz Vans echoed this, saying the new training spaces allows workers “to get acclimated with our equipment, technologies and production processes before they ever step foot on the production line.”

A Mercedes-Benz Vans employee welds parts in the body shop.

(Photo/Mercedes-Benz Vans)

‘Regional training space’

Mercedes-Benz spokeswoman Alyssa Bean said the new training area will help address the challenge of finding local workers with automotive experience.

“We’ve definitely succeeded in bringing on those more than 1,000 team members, but it has been a challenge to get to that point. … It is challenging to find those team members, but that’s also what this center helps us to accomplish — bringing team members on board who maybe aren’t as experienced in automotive manufacturing, because that’s a new skill set for this area, but we can use this center to train them,” Bean said.

Mercedes also uses space at Trident Technical College’s main campus for interviews and assessments and performs internal training, such as having new hires shadow production workers on the assembly line.

Volvo Cars handles most of its new-hire orientation, onboarding and training at a company training facility near the car plant in Ridgeville, Volvo Cars spokeswoman Stephanie Mangini said.

Training might take several days or weeks, depending on each hire’s background, experience and position. New hires spend time observing and meeting with employees, in addition to training.

“We use a blended learning approach, with classroom training for foundational needs and hands-on training with vehicles, bolt stations and wiring harness/grommet stations,” Mangini said. “We also use simulation software for virtual welders, paint and assembly to level expectations and demonstrate standard work procedures prior to the individual reporting to the floor.”

Volvo’s training at the Trident Technical College Workforce Training Center in Summerville mostly involves pre-employment work, such as basic safety classes and some hands-on training.

S.C. Technical College System President Tim Hardee said that the center is vital to help train the next generation of Lowcountry automotive workers, but that different companies will likely use the space in the future. He said it will help meet the region’s workforce needs over the next 10 to 20 years.

“This part of the state is growing, and it is growing fast,” Hardee said. “To stay on the cutting edge of this growth, we knew we needed a regional training space that can meet the needs of workforce demands and make sure the 800,000 residents from Dorchester, Berkeley and Charleston counties are ready and prepared for all the jobs coming to this area.”