The Battery Boost Technical Training Program has successfully placed nearly 400 local workers at Canada's first large-scale battery manufacturing facility in Windsor, marking a significant milestone for the region's economic development.
Program Success Highlights Local Workforce Potential
During a recent gathering at the Invest WindsorEssex Automobility and Innovation Centre, NextStar Energy CEO Danies Lee announced that 397 program participants have secured employment at the battery plant, which officially began commercial production earlier this week. This represents an impressive 97 percent employment rate for graduates of the initiative.
"We have spent three years building our operation, quite literally from the ground up," Lee told business and political leaders. "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."
Transforming Careers Through Specialized Training
The training program, which launched in February, has seen 408 participants graduate from the Battery Boost Technical Training Program according to Ed Dawson, executive director of the Automobility and Innovation Centre. What makes this achievement particularly remarkable is that 99 percent of participants entered the program with no prior experience in battery manufacturing or technical work.
Participants ranged in age from their 20s to 60s and came from across Windsor and Essex County, demonstrating the program's broad appeal and accessibility to diverse segments of the local workforce.
Economic Impact and Future Opportunities
The program has delivered substantial financial benefits for graduates, with Dawson reporting that workers now earn an average of $13,900 more per year than they did in their previous employment.
"That's the kind of impact this program is having," said Dawson. "It's opening doors for people that would have never thought that they could be part of this industry."
The training combined classroom learning with cutting-edge virtual reality simulations at the VR lab located at Invest WindsorEssex's Automobility and Training hub on Wheelton Drive. This innovative approach prepared workers for the specialized demands of battery manufacturing in what Lee described as the industry's "new frontier."
Essex County deputy warden Joe Bachetti echoed the sentiment of pride in the program's achievements, noting that the number of graduates hired at the NextStar Energy battery plant represents a significant success story for the region.
The program's success underscores Windsor's position as a hub for automotive innovation and demonstrates how targeted workforce development initiatives can create meaningful employment opportunities while supporting the growth of emerging industries in Ontario.
