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Tesla launches manufacturing training program in partnership with Austin Community College

Tesla START Manufacturing program will work to prepare students for a career at Tesla’s manufacturing facilities.

AUSTIN, Texas — A new Tesla manufacturing training program is coming to Austin. The Tesla START Manufacturing program at Austin Community College (ACC) will train students for a potential career at Tesla’s manufacturing facilities.

In partnership with the Austin Community College District, Tesla will launch the 14-week program in August. Students will learn about advanced technologies like robotics and machine control systems.

Some students completing the program will also be hired and paid by Tesla to complete the training as well.

“Tesla believes strongly in collaboration,” ACC chancellor Richard Rhodes said in a press release. “When business and education come together, we build connections that make college affordable and link students directly with employers so they can go straight into a promising career. ACC is excited to work with Tesla to develop cutting-edge training programs that prepare students for one of the region’s fastest-growing industries.”

The program is not the only manufacturing program at ACC. Students at the community college can already get an associate’s degree or certificate in Advanced Manufacturing.  

“Tesla is changing the way we think about manufacturing. This isn’t assembly-line work. It’s building and maintaining complex and intelligent machines,” Manufacturing department chair at ACC Laura Marmolejo said. “It takes specialized training, and ACC stands ready to deliver just that. We have the advanced equipment and customized labs that can prepare a highly skilled workforce to meet our region’s needs.”

CEO of Tesla Elon Musk lives in Texas. Musk said last year that he will be moving Tesla’s headquarters and programs to Texas and Nevada “immediately.”

“It is critical we train our existing workforce to meet the manufacturing needs of Central Texas,” Austin Regional Manufacturing Association Executive Director Ed Latson said. “With the potential for thousands of new jobs at Tesla alone, this partnership will be crucial to making sure the right training is provided for the right jobs. This will be another pathway at ACC for people to find a sustainable and meaningful career in manufacturing.”

“Manufacturing today isn’t what it used to be,” Rhodes said. “It’s about getting creative to design and build machines of the future. Tesla is at the forefront of that innovation, and now ACC students will be on the front lines.”

The program is set to begin this August with its first cohort of students. Tesla and ACC plan to restart the program with a new cohort each following month. Applications will open by the end of June, according to the press release.

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