The Upstate Workforce Investment Board has partnered with Spartanburg Community College to prepare the workforce for the coming needs of the Upstate's automotive suppliers.

Spartanburg Community College offers an 8- to 12-week MSSC (Manufacturing Skills Standards Council) curriculum that covers MSSC Certified Production Technician (CPT) key work activities for standards, training and assessments. They include safety, quality practices and measurements, manufacturing processes and production, and maintenance awareness.

Beginning August 1 the Upstate Workforce Investment Board will be recruiting hundreds of students to enroll into this training. Each individual interested in the training course will be tested using Workkeys based on the MSSC curriculum profile and must pass a drug screen to be eligible. Throughout the training all local automotive suppliers will be given the opportunity to visit the classes and get to know the students. At the completion of training, each employer will be asked to participate in a job fair at Spartanburg Community College. Classes will begin in January, 2010.