GM to hire 1,000 engineers in Michigan!

**Magnatomicflux** · December-01-10, 03:42 AM

Sounds good! Some happy news for Flint for a change as well.

http://www.windsorstar.com/cars/hire...606/story.html

**Lowell** · December-01-10, 07:16 AM

Good news for Detroit and Hamtramck too as the first Volt rolled out the door in Hamtramck yesterday. I truly hope this line takes off. With a $41K price ticket, which with federal subsidies end up around $33K, it is still a high plateau for a new and otherwise unremarkable model, especially in a down economy.

Reading about it in WIRED magazine, and compared to other the entries reviewed -- the tiny Nissan Leaf [$25K after subsidy] and the muscular Tesla Roadster [$101K after subsidy], the main advantage is that Volt owners will not be stranded if the juice runs out as it has a gasoline power generation. The others have longer electric-powered ranges, but is that a small comfort when you get caught in gridlock in a snowstorm. Nothing is easy.

**MoparDan** · December-01-10, 07:20 AM

Chrysler as well
http://www.allpar.com/news/index.php...1000-engineers

**DetroitPlanner** · December-01-10, 08:40 AM

I calculated the impact of these additional jobs last night. The state should get about $4.9 million in additional tax revenue from these jobs alone if these folks have an average income of about $45k. Each of these 2,000 generates about 4 other jobs in retail, service, and manufacturing support locally so thats 10,000 jobs. Typically these jobs won't pay as much as engineer jobs do, but it will help pull the state and the region slightly further out of the recession, and provide some stability to state and local tax entities.

**Cincinnati_Kid** · December-01-10, 10:07 AM

That car is too expensive to make a dent in sales, especially here where no one is working.

**Danny** · December-01-10, 01:10 PM

With the Chevy VOLT rolling down the assembly line at the Poletown Plant. It would GM's miracle " CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG! since Chysler made the Dodge Caravan.

WORD FROM THE STREET PROPHET

A 93 MPG Chevy VOLT, that will totally destroy the Japanese and European automobile markets for good. Now Americans cars are better than foreign imitations USA, USA, USA!

Neda, I miss you so.

**ndavies** · December-01-10, 01:56 PM

Originally Posted by DetroitPlanner

I calculated the impact of these additional jobs last night. The state should get about $4.9 million in additional tax revenue from these jobs alone if these folks have an average income of about $45k. Each of these 2,000 generates about 4 other jobs in retail, service, and manufacturing support locally so thats 10,000 jobs. Typically these jobs won't pay as much as engineer jobs do, but it will help pull the state and the region slightly further out of the recession, and provide some stability to state and local tax entities.

You're greatly underestimating an engineers salary. My salary was $45K when I started my career 25 years ago.

A starting electrical/mechanical engineer at the big three is at least $65K, an experienced engineer is going to be closer to $85K. Many controls engineers [[the kind of engineers needed for Electric and hybrid vehicles) are at or near $100K. And that's with a %15 whack from what we were earning just 3 years ago.

They are also going to have to pay a premium to get good engineers after all the layoffs they did in the last 5 or so years. Most of the engineers I know wouldn't take a job at chrysler for twice the price. Engineers by nature are very risk adverse.

It pays to be good at Math.

**JBMcB** · December-01-10, 02:13 PM

Originally Posted by ndavies

You're greatly underestimating an engineers salary.

Especially for engineers who are good at battery and power systems technology. Those are in pretty high demand right now. All automakers, and suppliers, are out to get the best talent they can in those fields right now.

**Hypestyles** · December-01-10, 03:26 PM

hopefully the jobs will get to stay as the new models continue.. GM/Chrysler should be 'adopting' a detroit school or two and spin the curriculum towards engineering..

Buy American · December-01-10, 03:34 PM

What you drive, drives america.
Out of a job yet? Keep buying foreign.

**Mikeg** · December-01-10, 06:54 PM

Originally Posted by Hypestyles

GM/Chrysler should be 'adopting' a detroit school or two and spin the curriculum towards engineering..

They have been - through their involvement in the Society of Automotive Engineers' "A World in Motion" program:

General Motors has been involved with the Society of Automotive Engineers [[SAE) A World in Motion [[AWIM) program since the program's inception in 1990. General Motors continues to expand its AWIM program nationwide. Programs now exist in twenty-seven GM communities throughout North America. This support comes from GM headquarters in South East Michigan as well as manufacturing facilities and retiree clubs located nationwide.
The AWIM program was developed by SAE to specifically target elementary and middle school students to pique their interest in math and science right at the time they normally turn away from these areas. AWIM programs are fun. Children enjoy the hands-on activities; and teachers value the program's interdisciplinary curriculum supplements in which math, science, engineering, language arts and social studies are all integrated into one unit plan. Depending on whether they are elementary or middle school students; children construct jet toys, skimmers, gliders, motorized vehicles or even fuel cell vehicles. Besides learning about technical concepts, the students explore customer needs, engage in testing and experimentation, and develop communication skills.
In the 2008/2009 school year, AWIM impacted over 15,500 students, with over 9,000 from SE Michigan [[39 schools in the Detroit Public School System and another 99 schools in other SE Michigan districts for a total of 138 schools in SE Michigan).

**canuck** · December-01-10, 07:37 PM

Originally Posted by Buy American

What you drive, drives america.
Out of a job yet? Keep buying foreign.

Yes, but what about the way GM treated its dealers a while back? In fact, one major deaer in Montreal got the axe from GM Canada in Oshawa last week. A crew came to get the signs down but without court papers and got turned away from Parkway Motors delership, a 60 year old dealer specialized in Pontiacs Buicks and GMC trucks. Since the Pontiac brand is discontinued, the head office decided to screw Parkway in spite of their strong sales after forcing a renovation on them.
89 people will lose their jobs if this goes through. Then the owners might turn around and start selling Subarus...

ttp://www.montrealgazette.com/business/legal-matters/Auto+dealer+going+down+fighting/3869548/story.html

**DetroitPlanner** · December-01-10, 08:08 PM

Originally Posted by ndavies

You're greatly underestimating an engineers salary. My salary was $45K when I started my career 25 years ago.

A starting electrical/mechanical engineer at the big three is at least $65K, an experienced engineer is going to be closer to $85K. Many controls engineers [[the kind of engineers needed for Electric and hybrid vehicles) are at or near $100K. And that's with a %15 whack from what we were earning just 3 years ago.

They are also going to have to pay a premium to get good engineers after all the layoffs they did in the last 5 or so years. Most of the engineers I know wouldn't take a job at chrysler for twice the price. Engineers by nature are very risk adverse.

It pays to be good at Math.

It also pays to know that most folks are not taxed on what they make. Did you not pay your taxes based upon deductions?

Personal deductions, housing interest, other deductible expenses like charity add up! Not everyone is going to start at a high wage. There is currently a glut of engineers looking for work The auto companies know this and are going to hire accordingly.

**Thruster315** · December-02-10, 05:03 AM

Originally Posted by canuck

Yes, but what about the way GM treated its dealers a while back? In fact, one major deaer in Montreal got the axe from GM Canada in Oshawa last week. A crew came to get the signs down but without court papers and got turned away from Parkway Motors delership, a 60 year old dealer specialized in Pontiacs Buicks and GMC trucks. Since the Pontiac brand is discontinued, the head office decided to screw Parkway in spite of their strong sales after forcing a renovation on them.
89 people will lose their jobs if this goes through. Then the owners might turn around and start selling Subarus...

ttp://www.montrealgazette.com/business/legal-matters/Auto+dealer+going+down+fighting/3869548/story.html

I agree that it's not so simplistic of just buying American cars. Look at all of the "American cars" being built overseas and how many "foreign cars" being built in the US. What's the better deal in the long run for us??

**Rochelle St.** · December-02-10, 07:52 AM

Wow!
Chrysler must have a lot of trains!

**JBMcB** · December-03-10, 09:02 AM

Originally Posted by DetroitPlanner

There is currently a glut of engineers looking for work The auto companies know this and are going to hire accordingly.

There is a glut of mechanical/automotive/industrial engineers. Electrical engineers who are talented in power systems are being snatched up by computer and consumer electronics companies who have to meet Energy Star guidelines to sell to the government. Those are the industries the car companies are competing with as far as talent acquisition goes, and that's who GM is hiring now.

Pingu · December-03-10, 09:44 AM

Originally Posted by ndavies

You're greatly underestimating an engineers salary. My salary was $45K when I started my career 25 years ago.

Same time frame, as a double-E, I hired in for a pisswater $23k [[plus $4k COLA, gotta luv that UAW! Half of what they got we got). Took me eight years to hit $45k [[Being an ignorant, compliant idiot has its good points, I never did get laid off, too much bang for the buck, I guess, with my measly bucks being in the denominator). No regrets, good times, since moved on to greener pastures, but this is definitely good news for things in general.

muskie1 · December-03-10, 11:00 AM

Well I am new to this forum but have been reading it for sometime. The economic impact from theses jobs will be negligable for a couple reasons I believe. First most of these jobs are not truly new jobs when you look at how many people working in this field for them had already lost their jobs, second hiring new employees at lower than current wages with much lower health care and pension costs will lead to many current employees being offered the take the buy out or leave option.

I think a perfect example of this will be Chrysler. The company has been broken into seperate divisions and brands, car, Ram truck, minivan and Jeep. All of these now have independent management,marketing,engineering and production facilities. By hiring new engineers at great cost savings and pushing out existing employees it will make selling off parts of the company much simpler. If a division is sold it also will eliminate any high paid union jobs and make the deal more attractive.

I believe that Fiats demand to set up a seperate dealer network for the 500 is a indication of their intent to sell off divisions of the company when the price is right. While I am happy to see all the new jobs created by both of these companie I will watch with sadness when the new rounds of buy outs are offered. Sorry to ramble on but I have lost all confidence in both of these companies.