A camouflaged prototype of Volkswagen's new midsized SUV is seen on an off road trail at Prentice Cooper State Forest near Chattanooga, Tenn., Monday, Aug. 29, 2016. The German automaker plans to begin production of the new model at it Chattanooga plant later this year. (AP Photo/Erik Schelzig)

If you go A Volkswagen career fair will be Friday from 2-6 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the plant’s conference center at Enterprise South industrial park. Qualifications include being at least 18 years old, having a high school diploma or GED, and passing a drug screen.

Volkswagen expects to have about 3,400 people working in Chattanooga by mid-April — a new high — as hiring cranks up for production of the automaker's midsize sport utility vehicle.

VW staffing contractor Aerotek is making a major push to bring on new production employees at a career fair to be held Friday and Saturday at the plant.

New production employees will earn on average of $13.50 per hour. When employees are later hired by VW, they'll earn $15.50 per hour, according to VW.

"It's a career. It's not just a job," said Mario Duarte, the plant's senior manager of organizational development and human resources. "We'll start hiring in the next three weeks. We're ramping up the training resources."

Production on the seven-seat SUV is expected to start late this year with the vehicle to hit dealerships early in 2017. Its assembly is in addition to the midsize Passat sedan.

VW plant spokesman Scott Wilson said the 3,400-employee mark includes 100 workers at VW's new Planning and Engineering Center. That facility also is hiring, he said.

Duarte said the number of new production employees will continue to grow above the 1,100 figure depending on demand for the yet-unnamed SUV that's based on the CrossBlue concept. Two years ago, VW pledged to hire 2,000 workers as part of its $900 million plant expansion to assemble the SUV.

Duarte said that use of Aerotek is the typical way VW hires its production employees.

"Over 99 percent come from Aerotek," Duarte said, saying that about 1,500 people have made the move from Aerotek to VW over the years.

Mark Cordell, who works at the plant in employee relations, said he started as an Aerotek production worker in September 2011 and later made the move to VW.

"My wife and I decided VW was the best thing going," said Cordell, 47.

He tells prospective employees that they should come in with a career plan.

"Set personal goals for yourself that align with the company's goals," he said.

Duarte said that people interested in working at the VW plant don't need a prior manufacturing background.

"We'll be teaching what manufacturing is — what is the VW way," Duarte said.

Wilson said it's after people are hired when VW officials see how they perform on the job and "when we learn who the stars are."

"Aerotek is an entry portal for VW," he said, adding that the staffing contractor offers benefits and bonuses to employees.

Duarte said the company would like to hire workers from Hamilton County as the automaker wants to bring on qualified employees who live closest to the plant.

Alice Simon, who works in talent acquisition for VW, said the automaker also is looking at the career fair for about 30 other people to fill non-production roles.

About a half dozen job fairs sponsored this summer by the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce helped woo about 1,500 to 2,000 applicants for the 1,100 jobs, Duarte said.

Hiring is more challenging today with low unemployment than it was when about 85,000 people applied for the first 2,000 jobs created at the plant late last decade, officials said.

Automotive suppliers to VW, such as Gestamp and Chattanooga Seating, also are staffing up.

"It's more competitive out there," Duarte said. "That's good for the community."

Contact Mike Pare at mpare@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6318.