A pivotal step in bringing the $7 billion investment to life
“We are committed and we really want to be the future for St. Thomas.”
That was the assurance Wednesday morning from Norman Wickboldt, Chief Human Resources Officer at PowerCo Canada as the Volkswagen subsidiary launched a hiring campaign with high-quality, well-paying jobs available at what will become the largest EV battery plant in Canada.
PowerCo already employs in excess of 200 people at its office in downtown St. Thomas and the plan is to open a second office on site in the Yarmouth Yards industrial park.
“So basically what we’re trying to do is now,” advised Wickboldt, “is we are going to have more activity on the actual construction site, and then we will have two, let’s say, locations. One here, we will still use that office here, but our focus will then slowly but surely shift to the work that needs to be done at the site.”
Initially there are about 50 job openings and Wickboldt noted some of the postings now open.
He added that this is a pivotal step in bringing the $7 billion investment to life.
Ultimately there will be about 3,000 employees at the massive facility.
Wickboldt told myFM groundbreaking at the site will begin shortly.
He noted for those who are hired, the employment begins right away.
“Oh, whenever the candidates can start, they can start. So it’s as of now, and again, I reiterate, we have hired already quite a few. So there is work to be done here for the project, for sure. We want to start our production in 2027 and we remain fully committed. We are on time.”
While the initial plan was to produce lithium-ion batteries in St. Thomas, the battery technology is rapidly evolving, observed Wickboldt.
In the coming months, PowerCo will expand its recruitment efforts through a multi-channel, province-wide advertising blitz to reach out to industry professionals, graduates and job-seekers.
“We’re proud to be the home for this exciting new chapter in Canada’s burgeoning EV battery manufacturing sector,” noted St. Thomas Mayor Joe Preston.
“This recruitment campaign opens the door to new, high-quality jobs for residents and opportunities to build lasting careers right here in our community.”
For more details on the active job postings and to apply for employment with PowerCo, visit http://powerco.ca
Written by Ian McCallum