Opel To Hire 1,400 New Employees For Zaragoza, Spain Facility By 2018

It will be a passing of the torch type of ordeal for workers at the Zaragoza, Spain manufacturing facility. More than 25 percent of the plant’s workforce will be replaced over the next four years as many of the current employees enter partial retirement.

In the process, Opel will hire 1,400 new employees to begin taking over for the newly retired workers per a cooperation agreement with INAEM (Aragón Employment Institute), designating the organization responsible for Opel’s employee selection processes during the next four years. The agreement has been signed by Luisa Fernanda Rudí, President of the Aragón Government and Antonio J. Cobo, General Director of General Motors España. The move is being regarded as a great move to pull the Aragonese economy out of its current slump.

“This initiative will help us find and promote talent, develope the employment opportunity capacities of our youth, as well as create a future for Aragón and for Spain,” said Antonio Cobo. “The agreement is part of the workforce rejuvenation plan that Opel España is executing in order to successfully meet the challenges of the future.”

Rudí shared the same optimistic outlook for the new agreement stating, “General Motors/Opel España is fundamental to the Aragonese economy. Opel leads the powerful automotive sector of the region and is a benchmark of the industrial sector, both in terms of GDP growth and employment growth, leading the recovery of the Aragonese economy.”

INAEM will determine the final group of candidates fit for the job, where Opel will step in and provide a 160 hour training course. Once deemed satisfactory, the new hires will be certified and ready to start their new work.

The new hires will be responsible for working at Opel’s largest assembly facility over the entire continent of Europe, serving the UK, France, Italy and Germany. The plant will also oversee the production of 27 new models and 17 new engines for Opel in the next 3 years.