BlueOval SK Battery Park, a $5.8 billion investment to build two EV battery plants in Glendale, is celebrating an important milestone.
Business, community and state leaders recently cut the ribbon on a 42,000-square-foot facility that will be used to train employees for jobs at the plants.
Training The EV Workforce
The facility, officially named the ECTC BlueOval SK Training Center, is a collaboration with Elizabethtown Community and Technical College.
The primary curriculum includes battery knowledge, roles and skills, as well as training on technical, quality and manufacturing processes.
The ECTC BlueOval SK Training Center will support this training through its virtual reality labs, industrial maintenance lab, work simulation lab and ergonomics techniques classrooms.
“Thanks to great Team Kentucky partners like Ford and SK On, we’re the electric vehicle battery capital of the United States, and I want to thank them for betting on Kentucky and our world-class workforce,” said Governor Andy Beshear. “I also want to thank ECTC and Trace Creek Construction for getting this center ready ahead of schedule. It is an exciting time to be a Kentuckian – this summer we’re going to start preparing folks for new jobs at BlueOval SK – a park that is going to benefit Kentucky families for generations to come.”
According to a press release, BlueOval SK has already hired more than 700 employees.
High-Quality Careers
In honor of the facility being completed 24 days ahead of schedule, Governor Beshear honored two leaders at Trace Creek Construction as Kentucky Colonels: David Milam, Vice President, and Scott Dalton, Superintendent.
“The new ECTC BlueOval SK Training Center provides another opportunity for Kentuckians to begin working toward a rewarding, life-long career,” said BlueOval SK CEO Michael Adams. “Students here will be able to take the first step in learning to build the batteries of the future.”
During the ribbon cutting, the Governor also recognized 10 new hires at BlueOval SK, who are all ECTC graduates.
Beshear also congratulated members of the ECTC VEX U Robotics Team, who recently earned the highest individual match score at the VEX Robotics World Championship in Dallas, Texas.
“In a few short weeks, the ECTC BlueOval SK Training Center will open to trainees who are ready to begin innovative, high-quality careers,” said Dr. Juston Pate, ECTC President and CEO. “We are proud to play a vital role in preparing employees for these careers and ensuring the success of BlueOval SK’s historic investment in Hardin County and Kentucky.”
Opening the ECTC BlueOval SK Training Center is further progress in the state’s booming electric vehicle industry.
Since June 2020, companies in the electric vehicle, or EV, industry have announced more than $11 billion in investments in Kentucky, which will create approximately 10,250 full-time jobs.
The ECTC BlueOval SK Training Center will start onboarding classes in June.
To see current job openings, visit BlueOvalSK.com.
