Job-seekers flock to LG Chem fair

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - Hiring is scheduled to begin soon at Korean battery maker LG Chem.

The Holland Township plant began taking resumes at a job fair Tuesday at Ridge Point Church, 340 104th Ave., in Holland. A second fair is scheduled for the same hours, May 18 at Trillium Banquet Center.

Candidates were encouraged to bring a resume and dress appropriately.

Michigan Works is one of the agencies listing jobs for the plant, posting 100 openings for senior technical operators earlier this month.

Officials at that office said the full-time production-level jobs pay $18 to $19 an hour and require at least a high school diploma or GED.

A two- or three-year technical degree is preferred, but not required. Experience in a clean-room production environment, and working with automated equipment is another preference. Applicants will need a National Career Readiness Certificate and WorkKeys assessment, and additionally, some computer skills.

"We're basically looking for folks who have, ideally, clean-room production experience," said Jeremy Hagemeyer, of LG Chem Human Resources. "We have a high-tech product and the whole production environment is a clean-room environment."

That suits job applicant Lisa Flores, who is working a part-time, temporary job and wants full-time employment.

"I kind of have experience working in a clean-room environment," she said. "This is kind of what that is, so, pretty good match. Hopefully, what I'm thinking, so hopefully, they feel the same."

The plant will make batteries for the Chevrolet Volt as well as future Ford battery-powered vehicles.

LG Chem said it expects to hire as many as 400 workers by 2013. The majority of those jobs would be in production, with pay ranges in the $11- to $14-an-hour range.

The 100 production jobs don't include another 10 management positions posted earlier by LG Chem.