Volkswagen Chattanooga Ramps up Hiring Efforts to Recruit 600 New Production Team Members

March 4, 2020

The Company aims to fill 600 positions in the next three months

Interested applicants may apply from March 23 through the end of June

First time since 2009 VW will directly accept applications for production employees

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Volkswagen Chattanooga today announced its goal of hiring up to 600 production employees over the next three months. This is the first time since 2009 that the Company will accept applications for production employees directly, versus through a contract staffing agency.

“As we continue to grow our Tennessee operations as Volkswagen’s North American hub for electric vehicle manufacturing, we must also grow our team,” said Tom du Plessis, president and CEO of Volkswagen Chattanooga. “We are looking for capable people who can work in a team environment to build our vehicles safely and with the highest attention to quality.”

Beginning March 23 and continuing through the end of June, Volkswagen will accept applications for production positions and select candidates to move to the assessment process.

The Company will hire primarily for second and third shifts. The starting hourly pay for those shifts is $19.

With overtime, bonus and shift differential, Volkswagen Chattanooga production employees have an earning potential of around $46 per hour, and maintenance employees can earn up to around $58 per hour on off-shift overtime. Volkswagen employees are eligible for a comprehensive benefits package, including medical and dental plans, life insurance and retirement savings.

Positions will be open in many areas of the plant, including Body Shop, Assembly, Paint, Quality and Logistics. Production team members will assemble automotive parts and operate tools and equipment in a fast-paced, high-tech production environment.

All applicants must be able to satisfactorily complete Volkswagen hiring process requirements which include medical/physical screening, work assessments, hair drug test and a background check. Eligible applicants for production positions must be 18 years of age, have a high school diploma or GED, and have legal authorization to work in the U.S.

In addition to hiring approximately 600 new production employees, Volkswagen is continuing to convert production contractors to Volkswagen employees. The Company has converted 54 production contractors in February alone, and will continue to convert production contractors throughout the year once they become eligible.

Last week the Company announced a base hourly wage increase for all production and maintenance employees by $1.50, as well as a new self-driven hourly bonus system up to 16 percent. Bonuses will be calculated on top of paid hours, including shift premiums and overtime rates. Portions of the bonus are paid monthly and quarterly.

For more information or to sign up for notifications about open production positions with Volkswagen Chattanooga, visit http://www.wearevolkswagen.com.

About Volkswagen Chattanooga

The Volkswagen Chattanooga manufacturing facility began production in April 2011. Volkswagen Chattanooga currently assembles the Volkswagen Passat, a midsize sedan, and the Volkswagen Atlas, a midsize sport utility vehicle. In March 2018, Volkswagen Chattanooga was announced as the production home of a five-seat SUV, the Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport. In January 2019, Volkswagen Chattanooga was announced as Volkswagen’s North American base for manufacturing electric vehicles, representing an $800 million investment, and broke ground on the expansion in November 2019. Volkswagen Chattanooga currently employs approximately 3,800 team members.