BMW seeks more humans to maintain Greer plant's robots

Anna B. Mitchell
The Greenville News
The new X3 is unveiled during a ceremony at the plant on Monday, June 26, 2017 celebrating the 25th anniversary since BMW announced in 1992 the company would build the first production plant outside of Germany in South Carolina.

BMW needs more humans to take of its robots.

The German automaker announced this morning that it is doubling the size of its apprentice mechanic program — dubbed "BMW Scholars"  — and is adding a fourth technical college to its stable of academic partners. Greenwood's Piedmont Tech joins Tri-County Tech, Greenville Tech and Spartanburg Community College.

The expansion increases the total number of students in the two-year program to 200. In its history, the 7-year-old program has graduated 130 student technicians.

Bottom line: With a 1.2 million-square-foot body shop that contains 2,000 robots nearing completion, the assembly plant needs more men and women to keep the machines moving, there and throughout the plant. Called "equipment service associates," these people work around the clock and earn competitive salaries, said BMW Manufacturing spokesman Steve Wilson. 

"We have over 240 robots just in the paint shop," Wilson said. "We have dozens in assembly."

The assembly plant in Greer also has miles of conveyors in its paint shop, assembly halls and body shop, which is where all future X models will be built — the X3, X4, X5, X6 and the new X7 coming out at the end of this year, Wilson said.

"We have miles and miles of conveyors — in paint and assembly, but in the body shop, too," Wilson said. "It's keeping all of this running to make sure we can build 1,400 cars a day."

BMW Scholar James Curry, 19, of Greenville, tests a camshaft for slight variations in its surface height during a metrology exam Tuesday, June 20, 2017 at Greenville Technical College.

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Even as BMW expands its training program, the company is also looking to hire experienced technicians through a job fair on Feb. 6. 

The technical college-based BMW Scholars program holds the strong possibility of direct-hire contracts for its graduates — everyone who has completed the program to date has been offered a job, Wilson said. Applicants take a test, undergo interviews and must maintain a 2.8 grade point average in a relevant major to qualify for the program.

Once admitted, BMW Scholars attend a range of electrical engineering and mechanical classes Monday through Thursday at an area tech college. They then work 10-hour shifts on Friday and Saturday at the BMW plant.

BMW Manufacturing first announced the Scholars program in 2011, according to a statement from Wilson. BMW covers the cost of tuition and books, provides health care benefits and pays students for their work at BMW.

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A BMW associate examines a pre-production X7 model at the assembly plant in Spartanburg County. The SUV will be in full production by the end of 2018.

Last year, a class of 30 BMW Scholars graduated from the program; 20 didn't made it.

"The main thing is to maintain that 2.8 GPA because it's a very demanding curriculum," Wilson said.

“Technology is constantly changing in the automotive industry,” said Knudt Flor, president and CEO of BMW Manufacturing, in a statement. “Now more than ever, we must invest in highly skilled workers who can solve problems. Investing in BMW Scholars allows us to develop a pool of talented men and women who will help sustain the future of BMW.”