Date Posted: January 26, 2024
Eight Southern Crescent Technical College students recently participated in a signing ceremony at the Georgia QuickStart Training Center in Social Circle as the inaugural cohort begins the Rivian Technical Trades program. These students join students from Georgia Piedmont Technical College and Athens Technical College who have been selected to participate in the EV company’s apprentice program.
This signing ceremony marks the beginning of a USDOL Registered Apprenticeship for students, providing participants with a unique opportunity to fast-track their careers in skilled trades with a dedicated focus on pursuing credentials in industrial maintenance or machine tool disciplines. Interested students participated in a lengthy interview process and those selected are now full-time employees of Rivian. This program is structured to provide comprehensive education and hands-on experience. Participants will begin by immersing themselves in the latest advancements in manufacturing technology with an initial period of academic study, followed by 12 months of practical training in Rivian’s cutting- edge factory located in Normal, IL.
Southern Crescent Technical College’s Rivian cohort will train at the Butts County Center and are now employed as full-time team members where they will receive a competitive pay rate and benefits package. Upon successful completion of the program, graduates will earn maintenance certificates and journey worker certificates from the Department of Labor, equipping them to pursue diverse roles and work any shift within Rivian’s operations. Rivian, an up-and-coming electric vehicle company,
is in the process of building a $5 billion,16-million square foot facility in Stanton Springs, Georgia. As one of the largest economic development projects in Georgia history, approximately 7,500 employees are expected to be hired as the construction is completed and manufacturing begins. These SCTC students participating in the Rivian Technical Trades cohort are among some of the first employees of the new facility.
SCTC President Dr. Irvin Clark stated, “The collaboration and partnership between Southern Crescent Technical College and Rivian not only creates unique job opportunities for our students in high-demand skilled trades careers, but also reinforces the economic impact on the local and state level through their involvement in the new $5 billion Rivian facility. This partnership marks an exciting opportunity for our students and a significant step toward fulfilling our mission of economic development in the communities that we serve.”