Officials from Yokohama Tire Manufacturing Mississippi, East Mississippi Community College, the city of West Point and the Clay County Board of Supervisors attended a recent dedication of the Yokohama Training Facility at EMCC’s West Point-Clay County Center.

    The dedication was to commemorate renovations at the facility that began a year ago and were completed about two weeks ago.

    “This is just to say thank you to the city and county and Yokohama for partnering with us in getting this facility ready so we could train people to have the opportunity to go to work in advanced manufacturing in our area,” said Dr. Raj Shaunak, EMCC vice president for Manufacturing Technology and Engineering.

    Work completed includes the addition of four classrooms, installation of a new roof and air-conditioning unit and the purchase of new equipment for advanced manufacturing training.  Funds for the project were provided primarily through a grant from Yokohama, with assistance by the city of West Point and Clay County.

    The Yokohama Training Facility consists of two new classrooms in the center dedicated to training for employees at the tire company, with additional computer labs for manufacturing and production applicants.

    Yokohama Tire Manufacturing Mississippi opened its West Point plant in October 2015. Company officials have hired more than 300 workers to date with plans to employ up to 2,000 workers once all phases at the plant are complete.

    Those who wish to work at Yokohama must first complete certifications in career readiness and manufacturing before they are considered qualified applicants. The certifications are either required or preferred at other major manufacturing plants in the Golden Triangle area. Certification classes are offered through EMCC Workforce Services at the West Point and Mayhew campuses.

    Once their certifications are complete, job applicants at Yokohama undergo a rigorous interview process, said Joe Gallagher, senior director for new plant development at Yokohama.

“It gives us an employee we know has the ability to learn,” Gallagher said of the pre-employment process.

    Once hired, employees at Yokohama receive training at EMCC’s West Point facility in areas such as pneumatics, hydraulics and General Dimensioning and Tolerances, the latter of which consists of taking product measurements on a moving assembly line.

    “We have an agreement with EMCC so we can send them over here for training,” Gallagher said. “We still pay them their hourly wage while they earn their certificate.”

    Adult basic education classes are also offered at EMCC’s West Point-Clay County Center for those who would like to earn their high school equivalency diploma.

“We will help them get a GED and bring their basic skills up to par so they have everything necessary to be a qualified job applicant at PACCAR, Yokohama and other manufacturers,” Shaunak said.

    EMCC’s West Point-Clay County Center opened in 2007 to provide training for displaced workers after Sara Lee shut down its West Point plant.

“It had a negative impact on our community, but we never gave up,” West Point Mayor Robbie Robinson said of the closing of the Sara Lee plant. “To hit a home run with Yokohama was just unbelievable.”

    Clay County District 1 Supervisor Lynn Horton agreed. He credits EMCC with providing needed training.

“EMCC stepped up at West Point to get our people trained so they can meet the demands of high-tech employers,” Horton said.

    Some of those present spoke of the partnership between public and private entities needed to bring Yokohama to West Point and the role the EMCC training facility plays in that process.

    “This facility is very important for us and for the community,” Yokohama Tire Manufacturing Mississippi President Tadaharu Yamamoto said. “Our relationship with EMCC is very good.”

    EMCC President Dr. Thomas Huebner said the college acts as a conduit to connect industry and those seeking employment.

    “Providing excellent training and education is an important part of the equation. Our relationship with city, county and state officials, as well as the Golden Triangle Development LINK, serves as a wonderful example of how a community can mobilize partnerships that lead to meaningful opportunities for the people we serve,” Huebner said.

    “We are proud of this facility and grateful that Yokohama has chosen to invest in West Point.”

Lisa Klutts, director of community development for the West Point-Clay County Growth Alliance, agreed.

“We are very fortunate to have a facility like this to provide the education and resources to the community so they can secure future employment and improve their quality of life,” Klutts said.