Construction begins on $5 million training center near Nashville

In the video above, from left, are: LaVergne Vice Mayor Steve Noe, District 13 State Senator Dawn White, LaVergne City Alderman Megan Honeycutt, Lavergne City Alderman Graeme Coates, Lavergne City Mayor Jason Cole, FM Sylvan Inc General Vice President Rob Mintz, FM Sylvan East TN Vice President John White, FM Sylvan Inc. West Vice President Jimmy Cole, Southeastern Carpenters Regional Council EST Tom Jenkins, Southern States Millwright Regional Council EST Wayne Jennings, Rutherford County Mayor Bill Ketron, and George P. Johnson LaVergne Plant Manager Larry Ezelle.

Representatives of the Southern States Millwrights and Southeastern Carpenters, along with state and local officials, broke ground May 24 on a $5 million, 25,000-square-foot training center near Nashville. The training center will be built on 4 acres located on Veterans Memorial Parkway, which connects to highly visible U.S. Hwy. 41 in La Vergne, Tennessee. The SSMRC provided a $300,000 grant to help purchase the property and is donating approximately $300,000 worth of training equipment.

Training equipment will include:

  • A computer room to do NANTeL training for nuclear power plants;
  • Two robot stations (will provide prerequisite training for the UBC mechatronics course); and
  • A conveyor prop for training on floor conveyor and power and free monorail systems used in many manufacturing processes such as automotive and food and beverage.

Click here to access a photo gallery that will document the entire building process. Current photos include those of the recent groundbreaking ceremony. Watch a live video feed of the site here.