Nissan: Nissan and Tennessee Board of Regents open joint facility to train manufacturing, automotive and technology workforce in Middle Tennessee

  • The Tennessee College of Applied Technology at Murfreesboro’s Smyrna Campus and Nissan Training Center is a public-private partnership between Nissan North America and the State of Tennessee.
  • The 162,000-square-foot facility offers programs to equip Tennessee students and Nissan employees with skills for successful careers in advanced manufacturing, automotive technology, etc.
  • Courses align closely with the region’s overall workforce needs, including Nissan’s Tennessee automotive plants.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Today, Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and Tennessee Board of Regents Chancellor Flora Tydings joined Nissan officials to formally open the Tennessee College of Applied Technology at Murfreesboro’s Smyrna Campus and Nissan Training Center. The state-of-the-art campus offers high-quality programs to prepare Tennessee students and Nissan employees for careers in advanced manufacturing and other fields.

The 162,000-square-foot center is a public-private partnership between Nissan and the Tennessee Board of Regents to create educational opportunities that are closely aligned to current workforce needs. It operates as an extension of TCAT-Murfreesboro and is jointly occupied by Nissan and the College of Applied Technology.

“This is a true partnership between the State of Tennessee and Nissan,” said Gov. Haslam. “Our College of Applied Technology at Murfreesboro needed more space and equipment to serve Tennesseans who want to learn skills for a new or improved career. Nissan needed a new center to train its own employees and those of its suppliers. The new Smyrna facility, which is both a public TCAT open to all and a Nissan Training Center was a perfect solution and is an important milestone in our Drive to 55 – to equip at least 55 percent of Tennesseans with a college degree or certificate by 2025.”

 


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The new education and training facility enrolls both public TCAT students and employees from the Nissan Smyrna plant. Through classes in fields such as automotive technology, industrial electrical maintenance, machine tool technology and welding technology, current and prospective workers learn valuable skills that can be directly applied in Nissan’s facilities or with other employers in the region.

“Nissan’s workforce in Smyrna and our other U.S. facilities is our greatest asset,” said John Martin, senior vice president, Manufacturing, Supply Chain Management and Purchasing, Nissan North America. “We are constantly looking for new ways to equip current and future employees with the skills and knowledge needed to operate a 21st century manufacturing plant. This collaboration with the State of Tennessee allows us to make an investment in our employees and our community, and secure the continued growth of our company.”

Nissan’s operations in Middle Tennessee include the Smyrna vehicle and battery assembly plants, two powertrain assembly plants in Decherd and the company’s North American headquarters in Franklin. Nissan Smyrna has a production capacity of 640,000 vehicles annually, and the plant employs about 8,400 workers. Nissan assembles six different models in Smyrna, including Altima, the all-electric LEAF, Maxima, Rogue, Pathfinder and INFINITI QX60.

About Nissan North America
In North America, Nissan’s operations include automotive styling, engineering, consumer and corporate financing, sales and marketing, distribution and manufacturing. Nissan is dedicated to improving the environment under the Nissan Green Program and has been recognized annually by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as an ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year since 2010. More information on Nissan in North America and the complete line of Nissan and Infiniti vehicles can be found online at www.NissanUSA.com and www.InfinitiUSA.com, or visit the U.S. media sites NissanNews.com and InfinitiNews.com.

About Nissan Motor Co.
Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., Japan’s second-largest automotive company, is headquartered in Yokohama, Japan, and is part of the Renault-Nissan Alliance. Operating with more than 247,500 employees globally, Nissan sold 5.32 million vehicles and generated revenue of 11.38 trillion yen (USD 103.6 billion) in fiscal year 2014. Nissan delivers a comprehensive range of more than 60 models under the Nissan, Infiniti and Datsun brands. Nissan leads the world in zero-emission mobility, dominated by sales of the LEAF, the first mass-market, pure-electric vehicle. LEAF is the best-selling EV in history with almost 50% share of the zero-emission vehicle segment. For more information on our products, services and commitment to sustainable mobility, visit our website at http://www.nissan-global.com/EN/.

About the Tennessee Board of Regents
TBR, the College System of Tennessee, is the state’s public system of 13 Community Colleges and 27 Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology. Students gain the academic knowledge they need for associates degrees and for transfer to universities where they pursue baccalaureate and graduate degrees, and the technical skills they need for the modern workforce. The system is governed by the Tennessee Board of Regents, composed of 18 members appointed from across the state. Gov. Bill Haslam chairs the Board.

 

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Contact

Parul Bajaj
Nissan Corporate Communications
(615) 725-3061
Parul.Bajaj@nissan-usa.com

Tennessee Board of Regents media contact:
Rick Locker
TBR Director of Communications
(615) 366-4417
rick.locker@tbr.edu