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Caterpillar outlines job prospects for Athens plant
Nearly 400 people eager to learn about job opportunities at the new Caterpillar plant in Athens attended two job fair sessions sponsored by the
construction equipment manufacturer at Athens Technical College, Thursday, September 26. Organized under the title, Bridging the Gap to Industry,
both events were held in the auditorium of the Easom building on the Athens Campus.
Caterpillar human resources manager Mike White and fabrication manager Matt Miceli, doubled-teamed for an initial presentation that covered
an overview of the Athens plant, the company’s corporate culture and vision, the types of jobs available at the facility, and which Athens Technical
College programs would help qualify individuals for work at Caterpillar’s plant.
The 850,000-square-foot Caterpillar facility, which straddles Oconee and Clarke counties, has been relocated from Japan and is manufacturing
small track-type tractors and mini hydraulic excavators. A small group of employees occupied offices at the plant in March. Crews have been
making a few of the machines since July, but production is expected to begin in earnest in November, and eventually the company will gear
up to produce 80 units daily. The plant will operate three shifts. The first shift began in July, and the third shift should start up in October,
while the second shift will begin in November, Mr. Miceli said.
Mr. Miceli told the crowds attending the job fairs that Caterpillar planned to hire 1,400 people at the Athens facility during the next several
years. He also noted that the company moved the plant from Japan to Georgia because the market for the equipment has moved to America.
In his presentation, he showed a slide that listed the new Athens facility’s areas of production —robotic and machine welding; computer
numerical control (CNC) machining; powder priming and top coat painting; material handling and kitting; assembly supply for the main production
line; in-process verification testing; pre-delivery inspection; and product distribution center.
The fabrication process will require a variety of jobs including welders, machinists, team leaders, section managers, and manufacturing
engineers, Mr. Miceli said.
Mr. Miceli also emphasized qualities that Caterpillar managers look for in prospective employees. Those demonstrating a winning attitude and a
willingness to observe and offer ideas for improvement will get the employer’s attention, he said.
“We are looking for people who are very committed, and who are willing to speak up,” he said. “It’s more attitude over aptitude.”
Additionally, Caterpillar employees should be safety-minded, detail-oriented team players with strong problem- solving skills, Mr. Miceli said.
Before Mr. White began his presentation on Caterpillar’s job application process, he shared with the audience that when he first submitted his
resume with the company, he was intimidated.
“I was scared when I applied,” he told attendees. “I was worried about what questions they would ask me in the interview and what answers I
would give.”
But Mr. White assured the job fair participants that Caterpillar’s website is designed to help qualified applicants through the process. He also
emphasized that the only way individuals can apply for jobs at Caterpillar is online. Applicants must first register on the site
www.caterpillar.com/careers, before they can submit their resumes. Human resource personnel and supervisors then review the resumes for each job.
At that point in his presentation, Mr. White stressed the importance of the resume.
“The biggest comment from those (at our company) reviewing the resumes is about the number of poor resumes,” he said. “Spend time on
making a good resume.”
To help him catch errors and misspellings or offer suggestions on improving his resume, Mr. White asked 10 people — friends and colleagues
— to review his resume before he sent it in.
The Caterpillar career website also has practice tests and practice interviews that feature the types of questions that will be asked in a real
interview, Mr. White added.
“This is going to be a life-changing job and career at Caterpillar,” Mr. White said. “So take (these practice tests) to make sure you get it.”
Mr. White also told the audience that once a job is closed, resumes are pursed, so if someone did not get a Caterpillar job and wants to apply for
a future one, they must resubmit the resume.
Following the presentations by Mr. White and Mr. Miceli, attendees in each job fair session were divided up. Half the group stayed in the
auditorium to hear Athens Technical College officials review college admissions and financial aid options. The other participants moved into the
Easom building atrium to share their resumes and abilities with Caterpillar workers and get advice from the company representatives. They also
visited information tables staffed by people from the Georgia Department of Labor and from Athens Technical College programs such as Welding
Technology, Engineering Technology, and Machine Tool Technology.
A computer lab in the Center for Teaching and Learning in the Easom building was dedicated to helping job fair attendees go online and register
with the Caterpillar careers website, so when they get their resumes ready for job postings, they can submit them.
Nineteen-year-old Zach Cope of Athens, who registered on the Caterpillar site at the end of the Thursday afternoon job fair, said the event was
“very educational” for him.
“It’s given me ideas of what I need to do and how I need to pursue those things,” he said.
Mr. Cope, who has been servicing automobiles for the past two years and currently works at Bulldog Kia in Athens, said he attended the job fair
out of interest in furthering his education and starting a new career. He expects to enroll at Athens Technical College soon.
http://www.athenstech.edu/Spotlight.cfm?i=471
9/27/2013
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“Now, I’m pursuing my dream of becoming a professional welder,” he said.
Photocaption: CaterpillarhumanresourcesmanagerMikeWhitereviewsthecompany’srecruitmentprocesswiththeaudienceattendingthemorningBridgingthe
GaptoIndustryjobfairThursday,September26atAthensTechnicalCollege.Viewmorephotosfromtheeventhere.
Click here for more information.
Don Nelson
706 355-5011
Athens Technical College * 800 US Hwy 29 North * Athens, Ga * 30601 * 706-355-5000 * A Unit of the Technical College System of Georgia
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As set forth in its student catalog, Athens Technical College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, national or ethnic origin, gender, religion, disability, age, political affiliation
or belief, genetic information, veteran status, or citizenship status (except in those special circumstances permitted or mandated by law). The following individuals have been designated to
coordinate the college's implementation of nondiscrimination policies: Keli Fewox, Director of Student Support, Section 504 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Coordinator, Office H748, 706/355-5081, [email protected], Dr. Leslie Crickenberger, Executive Director of Human Resources, Title VI, Title VII, and Title IX Coordinator (Employees), Office J-211B,
706/355-5140, [email protected], and Andrea Daniel, Vice President of Student Affairs, Title IX Coordinator (Students), Office H-774, 706/355-5029, [email protected],
800 U.S. Highway 29 North, Athens, GA 30601.
http://www.athenstech.edu/Spotlight.cfm?i=471
9/27/2013
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