Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia Inc. in West Point, Ga., is now hiring staff to operate its new automobile manufacturing plant in Troup County.
The company is working with several recruitment agencies to identify qualified applicants for salaried positions. Hiring for hourly workers will be announced later in October, according to the official Web site for the Kia plant, www.kiajobsingeorgia.com.
Management Recruiters of Auburn-Opelika LLC, based in Opelika, Ala., and JC Malone Associates of Louisville, Ky., have been selected to assist KMMG with recruiting salaried workers. Preliminary job offers will begin in the first quarter of 2008, Kia officials report.
The Kia automobile plant in West Point is a $1.2 billion project by South Korean automaker Kia Motors Corporation.
The facility, deemed the first Kia plant in the United States, is scheduled to begin production in November 2009 and produce 300,000 vehicles per year, according to Kia officials. The new facility will employ 2,500 maintenance and production team members.
An additional 2,500 employees are expected to work at supplier companies to the West Point plant, reported Kia officials.
"We are honored to be selected to work with KMMG regarding its staffing needs," said Niki Hollingsworth, account executive at Management Recruiters of Auburn-Opelika LLC. "Everyone has been a pleasure to work with and we look forward to building a lasting relationship with the company, as well as its suppliers," she said.
"The response from the community has also been outstanding, with numerous applicants expressing an interest in joining the KMMG team," said Hollingsworth.
Hollingsworth reports that interested candidates can apply on-line at www.mrauburn.com or jobs@mrauburn.com with "Kia" mentioned in the subject line. Resumes should be submitted in Microsoft Word format, said Hollingsworth.
At the company's Web site, applicants can visit the section "For Candidates" listed under "Our Services" and then explore "Current Opportunities" to find jobs in the LaGrange area. However, job descriptions will not specifically indicate they are for the Kia plant, said Hollingsworth. Management Recruiters of Auburn-Opelika can be reached by telephone at 334-749-4941.
JC Malone Associates of Louisville, Ky. is also recruiting salaried workers for the West Point plant. The office can be reached at 502-456-2380.
Randy Jackson, human resources director at Kia Motors, reported in September that prospective hourly employees can visit www.kiajobsingeorgia.com to complete on-line applications when hiring begins.
According to the Web site, "an announcement will be made in October giving more details regarding the application process, the open positions, and the timeline for hiring."
Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia Inc. reports that jobs will have pay rates and benefits competitive with comparable positions in the automotive industry.
The company will offer a benefits package that will include medical, dental, vision and pharmacy insurance; basic, optional and dependent life insurance; accidental death insurance; short and long-term disability; tuition assistance; attendance bonus; 401(k); and vacation. Team members will also be eligible for paid holidays and personal days.
Most employees at the Kia plant will be classified as either maintenance or production team members. Maintenance team members will perform a variety of mechanical and electrical jobs, such as corrective and predictive maintenance on equipment.
These employees will need previous experience and/or training in industrial and manufacturing technologies such as electronics, tool-and-die, robotics, metalworking, PLCs and welding, according to Kia officials.
Production team members will be involved in the operation of stamping, paint, welding and assembly equipment.
The Kia Web site notes that there is no fee to apply for jobs at the Kia plant. "If any individual or organization attempts to collect money as part of the application process, they do not represent Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia Inc.," according to Kia officials.
For applicants who do not have computer access, they can apply on-line at their local Georgia Department of Labor Career Center. Local employment officials report that a Temporary Employment Center will be established at the GDOL in LaGrange which will allow computer access to candidates by appointment.
Applications will be stored on file and reviewed "to select candidates who have the experience, education and qualifications needed to fill open positions on the Kia team."
Georgia's Quick Start program will administer the selection process for candidates, which involves a series of classes and assessments to evaluate a candidate's skills, flexibility, team concept, qualifications and work ethic. Quick Start will provide additional customized training to prepare individuals to begin work, according to the Web site.
Kia reports that there is no training program offered by any external organization that guarantees jobs at Kia. The company recommends many of Georgia's technical colleges, but emphasizes that it is the individual's responsibility to select a program that matches his or her personal career aspirations.
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