Industry signs training agreement
By Anne Marie Kyzer annemariek@thetruecitizen.com

Waynesboro's newest industry signed an agreement yesterday for help training new employees hired at the plant.

ASTA Inc. is partnering with Georgia QuickStart and Augusta Technical College (ATC) to prepare workers for the production of specialized copper wire. They are expected to hire some 125 workers.

QuickStart's Eddie Fite said training could begin in the next few weeks. Employees will receive instruction in core areas, such as safety and basic math, and then progress to job-specific skills.

He said training is projected to last through September 2009 as the plant continues to hire people, but his agency is willing to stay however long they are needed to help the new industry flourish.

"Their corporate strategy seems to match what Waynesboro wants in that plant, and that's a long-term player," Fite said. "This is their only plant in the U.S. so it will serve their market in North and South America. I think that says something to their longevity."

In a news release, ASTA plant manager Rakesh Rathi stated that its "employees will be the key resource to the success and longterm growth of ASTA, and training is one of the important elements in keeping our technology edge."

Most of the training will take place at the plant, but classes may possibly be held at Waynesboro's ATC campus as well. ATC may also help with long-term training needs.

Georgia QuickStart is an economic development program that provides customized workforce training at no cost to new, expanding and existing businesses that qualify. QuickStart staff will design and develop training materials and provide instructors for the classes.