VALMIERAS STIKLA SKIEDRA : P-D Valmiera Glass USA Corp. Hosts Initial Ceremony for Phase 2 of Dublin Plant

8. May, 2017

P-D Valmiera Glass USA Corp. hosted their first hiring ceremony for students in the Maintenance, Mechatronics, and Fiber Forming Customized Training Program at Oconee Fall Line Technical College, Tuesday, May 2.

Eighteen current students from the Maintenance, Mechatronics, and Fiber Forming training programs were chosen for full-time employment at the Phase 2 Furnace Expansion in Dublin and presented with hiring certificates from Valmiera.

These students will travel to Valmiera's home plant in Latvia for three weeks for continued training and will have the option of helping at the plant's Phase 1 facility in Dublin until their full-time positions begin this fall.

While only a select number of students were chosen for this initial hiring ceremony, full-time offers will be made to students within the training program on a regular basis until training is complete in early fall.

Andre Schwiontek, the company CEO spoke at the event about the progress of the company regarding implementation of students into their workforce. "This is an important step for us and for our students. The first student team will now travel to Europe. During this time, they will focus on practical education by working with trainers there on operational machinery. This will allow us to provide specialized support from our side to assist them and make them and the company successful. This first group of hires is only the beginning, much more will come in the next 4 months."

Job Training

Due to the technical nature of jobs created by Valmiera's expansion, candidates for employment required customized training in a number of areas to prepare them for one of seven positions: Mechatronic Technician, Material Handler, Maintenance Technician, Water Supply Technician, Glass Fiber Production Operator, Chemical Process Operator, or Twisting Operator.

To meet the specific needs of the company, OFTC faculty and staff developed the customized training program and began accepting students last September. While Instruction based classes have been held on OFTC's campus in Dublin, students are now receiving hands-on training simulated equipment at Valmiera's current facility and at a training center housed in the Heart of Georgia College and Career Academy.

"The training is delivered in modules," shared Roy Williams, Dean of OFTC's Trades, Industrial and Transportation Programs, who also serves as project manager for the Valmiera training program. "The start dates for each separate class is graduated according to the time needed to deliver the training, the longest being 12 months and the shortest being three months."

Phase two of the Valmiera plant is scheduled to open this fall and will create over 400 local jobs. To learn more about the training program, visit HERE.