Hamilton County Mayor Weston Wamp says a new partnership will help ensure local students have a shot at the new high-paying jobs Volkswagen is bringing to Chattanooga. Wamp joined representatives from the automaker and Hamilton County Schoolson Thursday to announce the future Volkswagen Engineering Preparatory Academy at the Franklin Roberts Future Ready Center.¶
The academy will provide students with access to early engineering education and create a pathway for students to explore engineering concepts and technical skills beginning in their freshman year. This partnership with Volkswagen will provide students interested in engineering with an opportunity to engage with technical skills early in their education through hands-on learning and real-world applications.¶
“What we know about career and technical education today is that it is best when school systems and the public sector are partnered with the private sector,” said Wamp. “And in this community, the most important employer in many ways is Volkswagen, and it’s an employer that’s had a partnership with Hamilton County Schools, but we’ve always known there was an opportunity to grow that, particularly as Volkswagen expands its high-tech workforce. There are more engineering jobs, more high-paying jobs in this community, and those are jobs that we want, or at least I want, to go to people who live here already.”¶
Future Ready Expansion¶
When it opens for the 2026-27 school year, Franklin-Roberts will be the district’s third Future Ready Center. Hamilton County Schools announced an expansion to the career and technical education (CTE) program earlier this year with the North River Future Ready Center.¶
Hamilton County Schools Superintendent Dr. Justin Robertson says the program will create opportunities for every single high school kid to access career and technical education.¶
“I’m grateful and excited to have Volkswagen on board as our official first partner for Franklin-Roberts,” said Dr. Justin Robertson, Hamilton County Schools Superintendent. “As a district, it is vital that we continue to provide intentional opportunities for our students to access career education and hands-on learning. As we continue to identify the right partners for this Future Ready Center, this partnership is an example of what we want for students: access to real-world connections, community partnerships, and entry points to thriving careers.”¶
New Chapter in Volkswagen’s History¶
Volkswagen opened its plant in Chattanooga in 2011.¶
It currently employs 5,500 people and serves as the automaker’s North American hub for electric vehicle assembly.¶
“The introduction of the Volkswagen Engineering Preparatory Academy at the Franklin-Roberts Future Ready Center is a bold step toward building a workforce that's not only skilled, but also emotionally connected to our company and our community,” said Henning Habicht, Volkswagen Group of America, Head of Chattanooga Operations. “It's a reflection of what's possible when industry, education, and local government come together with a shared purpose, and we look forward to working hand-in-hand with educators, families, and leaders to make this vision a reality."¶
The Volkswagen Engineering Preparatory Academy will be located at the Gateway site in downtown Chattanooga.¶
Wamp said the location itself is also important, as it shows the priority the district places on CTE.¶
“We used a part of our skyline, right, we didn’t go to the cheapest dirt we could find to build a technical school that no one would see,” said Wamp. “We said no, we want to set a new bar. We want students, and parents, and teachers to know what we believe in, and visitors for that matter.”¶
