Battery Boost program helps nearly 400 Windsor-Essex workers land jobs at NextStar Energy plant

The chief of Canada’s first large-scale battery manufacturing facility in Windsor on Thursday touted the success of a training program preparing area workers for what he called the industry’s “new frontier.”

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During a gathering of local business and political leaders at Invest WindsorEssex Automobility and Innovation Centre, NextStar Energy CEO Danies Lee said nearly 400 program participants now work at the battery plant, which officially began commercial production earlier this week.

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“We have spent three years building our operation, quite literally from the ground up,” said Lee.

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“An exciting challenge has been building a highly specialized workforce here. When we selected Windsor as home for NextStar Energy, we knew one of the most significant advantages we have here is a capable workforce as the automotive capital of Canada.

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“Windsor is home to the some of the most hard-working individuals I have ever met.”

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Since launching in February, 408 participants have graduated from the Battery Boost Technical Training Program, said Ed Dawson, executive director of the Automobility and Innovation Centre. Lee said 397 participants have so far found jobs at NextStar. That represents a 97 per cent employment rate.

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Ninety-nine per cent of participants, who range in age from their 20s to 60s and hail from across Windsor and Essex County, entered the program with no prior experience in battery manufacturing or technical work.

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Dawson said those workers now earn on average $13,900 more per year than they did in their previous jobs.

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“That’s the kind of impact this program is having,” said Dawson.

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“It’s opening doors for people that would have never thought that they could be part of this industry.”

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“We knew that there was incredible opportunity right here in Windsor Essex with NextStar Energy, Canada’s first gigafactory, and its growing supply chain. We wanted to ensure local residents could be part of this success, and that we had a trained workforce ready to support it.”

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Battery Boost delivered classroom learning with virtual-reality simulations at the VR lab located at Invest WindsorEssex’s Automobility and Training hub on Wheelton Drive. The virtual-reality technology was on display during Thursday’s event.

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The numbers of program graduates hired at the NextStar Energy battery plant is “something to be proud of,” added Essex County deputy warden Joe Bachetti.