BMW has just opened the doors to a new $20 million training center in Spartanburg, South Carolina aimed at “promoting creative learning, fostering innovation, and advancing technical skills.”
The 68,000-square-foot training center consists of 40 functional learning spaces and includes areas for hands-on vocational training such as welding, metal fabrication, and machine tools, as well as advanced technical training for robotics and controls, mechatronics, and automotive technology.
The facility also has a workspace for augmented and virtual reality training, in addition to advanced manufacturing in technologies such as 3D printing and laser welding. BMW says the training center will also be its North American hub for all future technologies. An innovation room has also been created and will serve as a safe space where workers can think, collaborate, and form new ideas.
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“This new training center will be instrumental in transforming Plant Spartanburg into a BMW iFACTORY and set new standards for flexibility, sustainability, and digitalization,” member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, Production, Dr. Milan Nedeljković said in a press release. “Future leaders, innovators, and technicians will learn the concepts of future production to develop innovative solutions that will be integrated into plant operations here in Spartanburg and also in our global network.”
A plethora of outdoor workspaces have also been incorporated into the training center and in the area behind the facility, associates will plant 106 trees, representing 106 years of the BMW Group.
“BMW is once again proving their unwavering commitment to our state’s biggest asset – our workforce,” added South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster. “This new training facility will ensure BMW technicians are equipped with the latest automotive technology and skills to meet the demands of the company’s operations today and into the future. We applaud BMW for their continued investment in South Carolina and our people.”
