Toyota has unveiled three significant initiatives at its Kentucky plant aimed at developing future talent and enhancing the skills of its current workforce. These initiatives include the launch of the 4T Academy, the expansion of the Driving Possibilities program, and the opening of the Toyota Maintenance Training Center.
4T Academy to Offer Full Industry Immersion
In partnership with Scott County Schools, Toyota is investing up to $1 million to establish the 4T Academy (Team, Teach, Together, Toyota). This program will provide juniors and seniors with a direct pathway to a manufacturing career. The academy features a collaborative classroom space, electric and pneumatic tool training stations, and a simulated vehicle production line. Seniors enrolled in the program will earn approximately $18 an hour while training alongside industry experts at Toyota Kentucky.
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“We feel fortunate to partner with Toyota Kentucky to launch the first 4T Academy in Kentucky,” said Billy Parker, superintendent of Scott County Schools. “Toyota has been a critical long-time partner of our schools and this community. This collaboration will provide Scott County students with unique opportunities that will last long past high school.”
Driving Possibilities Initiative Celebrates Milestone
July 2024 marks the one-year anniversary of Toyota’s Driving Possibilities program, a Toyota USA Foundation initiative aimed at expanding literacy and language resources, building education and industry partnerships, and addressing transportation barriers. To support this initiative, Toyota is providing 10 Sienna vehicles to partner schools in Fayette and Scott Counties to help meet student transportation challenges. Since its launch, Driving Possibilities has invested over $3 million in local schools and plans to provide up to $5.7 million in the coming years.
Toyota Maintenance Training Center Unveiled
To further develop its current workforce, Toyota has opened a new 20,000-square-foot, $3 million onsite training center. This facility will enable team members to learn new technologies and advanced manufacturing processes. Bryan Hodel, a skilled maintenance group leader with 30 years at Toyota, praised the company’s commitment to long-term employment and advancement opportunities.
Toyota’s Ongoing Commitment to Kentucky
Toyota Kentucky, the company’s largest plant globally, employs nearly 10,000 people in advanced manufacturing roles. Governor Andy Beshear lauded Toyota’s continued investment in the state, noting, “Toyota has always been a great Team Kentucky partner. We applaud their continued growth and efforts to expand educational opportunities for our workforce.”
The plant, representing a nearly $10 billion investment, produces the Camry Hybrid and the RAV4 Hybrid. It will also become the first Toyota facility in North America to assemble a battery electric vehicle by late 2025 or early 2026.
“Our most valuable assets are our team members – they are our heart,” said Kerry Creech, president of Toyota Kentucky. “That’s why we continuously invest time and resources into developing our people and providing students with strong career pathways for our future.”
About Toyota
Toyota has been part of the U.S. cultural fabric for over 65 years, committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility. Employing over 49,000 people in the U.S., Toyota has produced more than 34 million cars and trucks at its nine manufacturing plants. By 2025, Toyota’s 10th plant in North Carolina will begin manufacturing automotive batteries for electrified vehicles. Toyota offers 29 electrified options, more than any other automaker.
For more information, visit Toyota Newsroom.
Source: Toyota Kentucky Launches Triple Crown Program for Workforce Readiness
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