Byrne seeks approval for purchase

Postsecondary Education Chancellor Bradley Byrne asked the state school board Thursday to consider approving a major purchase for Northwest-Shoals Community College that is needed to train workers at the Shoals' newest manufacturing operation.

He told school board members that National Alabama Corp. is speeding up its plans to train and hire employees for its new railcar manufacturing plant at the Barton Riverfront Industrial Park in western Colbert County.

As a result, Byrne said Northwest-Shoals needs $1.5 million to buy two heavy, metal-welding robots so officials there can begin training potential employees.

The Alabama Industrial Development Training operation will conduct welding training at Northwest-Shoals as part of the agreement that lured National Alabama to the state.

The state school board will meet at Northwest-Shoals on Sept. 27 and the purchase will be on its agenda for consideration.

Anyone interested in getting a job application for National can go to the Alabama Industrial Development Training Institute Web site and request one.

The AIDT Web site at aidt.edu has a section under National Alabama Corp. to list your name and address. That will get you on a waiting list for an application.

National Alabama spokesman Peter Earle said Thursday the company wants to start operating in early 2009, so it probably needs to start training in mid-2008.

"We'll have to bring leadership people in to train others and bring the plant up," he said.

National Industries Inc., of Canada, announced July 18 that it would build a $350 million railroad car manufacturing plant in Colbert County, eventually employing 1,800 people.

AIDT project Director Steve Sheridan said about 1,400 or 1,500 people have requested information about jobs so far.

He said ads announcing the company's hiring plans and where to apply will start running later this fall in the TimesDaily.

Sheridan said pre-employment screening will determine who gets invited to orientation programs where a video will describe the type of work and skills that will be needed at the plant, and the potential wages and benefits of working there.

"Those who are still interested will begin to interview and the (successful ones) will be entering pre-employment training," Sheridan said. Training could last eight weeks or more, several nights a week or on weekends.

Successful trainees will create the pool of potential employees for Alabama National, he said.

Dana Beyerle can be reached at (334) 264-6605.