PROJECT PROFILE:
Suniva
The Sun Also Energizes
Quick Start helps Suniva harness the power of the sun — and American manufacturing
Project Summary: For the past 10 years, Suniva has been a model for how to successfully commercialize high- tech university research. Originating in Georgia Tech's University Center of Excellence for Photovoltaic Research
and Education, the innovative technology behind Suniva's best-in-class solar cells have made it the largest solar cell manufacturer in America.
Suniva's achievements have earned it a Georgia Manufacturer of the Year award, and its growing popularity has prompted the company to expand its Norcross facility, where it will nearly triple cell production from roughly 78,000 cells per day to 230,000 cells per day.
"Suniva is an example of American manufacturing at its finest," said Steve Haro, then-U.S. Department of Commerce assistant secretary for legislative and intergovernmental affairs.
"They produce industry-leading products right here in the United States, and their global leadership has made for the type of conditions that create clean energy jobs across our country. Suniva is an example of the strength and resilience of American modern manufacturing."
To support the new expansion, Quick Start will once again be partnering with Suniva to offer
Click images to enlarge
To support the new expansion, Quick Start will once again be partnering with Suniva to offer customized workforce training. Quick Start first partnered with Suniva to assist in its startup in 2008.
Quick Start's training plan starts with pre-employment exercises that assess candidates' ability to handle work on the Suniva floor. From there, Quick
Start will train new employees on Suniva's high-tech manufacturing process. This training program is highly technical and touches on subjects like advanced manufacturing technologies,
POCL3 diffusion, laser etching,
and plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition.
The next step in the training includes soft skills and collaboration. Employees will go through workshops designed to promote teamwork and foster the company's unique culture, as well as help employees understand how their
actions on the manufacturing line help influence the company's bottom line.
"I cannot say enough about the role that Georgia Quick Start has played in our success," lauded Matt Card, Suniva executive vice president of commercial operations, at a recent ribbon-cutting for the new expansion.
"Quick Start has been alongside us every step of the way, and the resources they provided, the expertise and development knowledge to get us up and moving as a business, have been invaluable to us."
Project Highlight: Select the Best
Quick Start developed a series of tests for Suniva's pre-employment assessment. These tests were designed to ascertain candidates' competency in key skills necessary for work on the Suniva floor.
Before any candidates were asked to perform these tasks, select Suniva employees went through the program to establish a baseline of a successful employee.
One of these tasks asked candidates to evaluate replica solar cells for errors. The Quick Start creative services team created model cells and boards illustrating some of the most common defects.
