Announcement of new line
good news in Doraville

he General Motors Doraville Assembly plant faced a challenge when GM headquarters in Detroit announced that it is introducing in 2005 four new crossover sport van models and phasing out some of its older models, which were produced at the Doraville plant. The new models require new technology and without it the Doraville plant can’t compete. The future of the company, one of Georgia’s largest employers, was on the line.

GM decided to make the $150 million investment in the Doraville plant to purchase the technology necessary to produce the new models, keeping jobs in Georgia. But new equipment is only half the equation. GM’s workforce skills must be upgraded, too. Quick Start and DeKalb Tech will partner with GM to ensure that the employees are ready to produce the new crossover sport van models.

Over the course of several months, Quick Start will provide 3,600 GM employees with technical and operations training for the new production line. Some of the technical training will be delivered by Quick Start’s state-of-the-art Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC) trainers. The training will benefit both technical and non-technical jobs.

“We appreciate the opportunity to work with the GM Doraville plant,” says Dr. Kenneth Breeden, DTAE commissioner. “Quick Start believes in supporting existing businesses in Georgia to help them remain healthy so that the work stays here and doesn’t go offshore. We appreciate that you chose Georgia and continue to choose Georgia.”

“Quick Start’s training is very hands-on and tailored to meet our needs,” says Claude Willis III, UAW Local 10 chairman. “When you bring people into classes that are sophisticated and professional, it’s impressive, and it goes a long way to making our members happy. This training enables them to do a better job and it makes us more viable in the marketplace. The skill set at Quick Start is nothing short of spectacular. They live up to their stellar reputation.”

“This is a very exciting time for us and we’re very pleased with this partnership,”
says GM Doraville Assembly Plant Manager David Prange. “When the membership is
happy it’s good for all of us. The bottom line is our people need to know how to pull
all this technology together, and we’re appreciative that Quick Start and DeKalb Tech
are helping us do that.”

Far left and center: Quick Start and DeKalb Tech are training GM Doraville Assembly
plant employees on a new production line. Left: At the project signing ceremony were
Claude Willis III, UAW Local 10 chairman; Dr. Kenneth Breeden, DTAE commissioner;
and Jackie Rohosky, DTAE assistant commissioner.

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