Boeing hiring 1,000 workers for S.C. production line
CHARLESTON, S.C. -- The Boeing Co. Announced 500 company-wide layoffs on Friday, but in South Carolina, the aerospace giant is hiring for its new assembly line, which needs a thousand new workers.
But on the 787 production line in Everett, workers have criticized some of the work already coming out of South Carolina. South Carolina's response: training programs can handle the challenge.
Technical colleges in South Carolina train workers just as colleges in Washington do. Still, the end product is not the same, according to Washington workers.
"We see the products that come into our factory from South Carolina and the quality is poor," said Zen Jenne.
In the past, Boeing's attributed delays in the Dreamliner program, in part, to workmanship out of South Carolina and other plants.
"This particular airplane the 787 is a composite. It is truly a first-generation airplane; it has not been built before," said Jim Maxon, aviation training director. "The learning curve's going to be strong everywhere you're located, and so I feel that south Carolina in what the plant is trying to do here, we can train the workers."
Trident Technical college is one school here in South Carolina that's working with Boeing to make sure employees make the cut.
"In the previous four years for this project - the Dreamliner program, we've had over 11,000 applications," Maxon said.
Boeing sets the criteria for screening, then subjects the applicants to a series of interviews and drug tests.
The company says South Carolina is not the only place it will be recruiting workers.
"We will build the best airplanes in the world here," said Tim Coyle of Boeing.
The new assembly line is supposed to be up and running in about 18 months.
But on the 787 production line in Everett, workers have criticized some of the work already coming out of South Carolina. South Carolina's response: training programs can handle the challenge.
Technical colleges in South Carolina train workers just as colleges in Washington do. Still, the end product is not the same, according to Washington workers.
"We see the products that come into our factory from South Carolina and the quality is poor," said Zen Jenne.
In the past, Boeing's attributed delays in the Dreamliner program, in part, to workmanship out of South Carolina and other plants.
"This particular airplane the 787 is a composite. It is truly a first-generation airplane; it has not been built before," said Jim Maxon, aviation training director. "The learning curve's going to be strong everywhere you're located, and so I feel that south Carolina in what the plant is trying to do here, we can train the workers."
Trident Technical college is one school here in South Carolina that's working with Boeing to make sure employees make the cut.
"In the previous four years for this project - the Dreamliner program, we've had over 11,000 applications," Maxon said.
Boeing sets the criteria for screening, then subjects the applicants to a series of interviews and drug tests.
The company says South Carolina is not the only place it will be recruiting workers.
"We will build the best airplanes in the world here," said Tim Coyle of Boeing.
The new assembly line is supposed to be up and running in about 18 months.